“Who? Jake? No, he’s not a model. He’s just here as a friend.”
Marilyn nodded knowingly. “That’s smart. I might do that at the next one. Helps get people to the table, you know?”
I picked up one of her bookmarks and turned it over in my hands. “You don’t think they’ll come because they loved the books?”
She cackled, drawing the attention of several other authors. “Girl, this must be your first signing ever. You bring a model and you can guarantee that you’ve got a line all day. Otherwise, you work on throwing yourself at anyone who comes your way. Sometimes, it pays off. Sometimes, it doesn’t.”
“So, what are your books about?” I asked politely, hoping that I wasn’t going to have to pimp myself to anyone. I wasn’t built for it.
Sweat ran down my spine and I tugged at the collar of my blouse, but the material was unforgiving, nothing at all like the t-shirts I’d left behind.
“Can’t you guess?” she teased.
Making a sandwich out of a woman?
Perfecting the art of walking around half-naked?
“Um, threesomes?”
Marilyn cracked up again, sounding like a witch who’d just managed to snatch some stray children. “Shifter ménage. I tend to stick with wolves.
“Some people do bears, but I just can’t even wrap my mind around making that work, you know? I used to write vampires, but that’s been done to death. You need wolves to play up the ‘one true mate’ aspect. I like the idea of two different pack alphas fighting over their human woman. Really gets my engine revving. What about you?”
“Excuse me?” I asked in confusion. I hadn’t understood half of what she’d just said.
“C’mon, girl, don’t be shy. Is it bears?”
“No. I—” I glanced down at one with a handsome shirtless man gazing menacingly from the cover. Behind him was the silhouette of a wolf. I mashed my lips together to keep from giggling and shook my head. “No, I like wolves too. They seem, um, neat.”
“Neat,” she echoed. “They’re perfect killing machines. I wanted an animal that mated for life—tried penguins and that failed spectacularly. It’s just too cold to make the love scenes work and then with the man having to sit on the eggs, it just killed my heat factor.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and turned away, unable to contain the hysterical bubble of laughter that was fighting its way out. “I’m sorry,” I managed with tears in my eyes. “I just need to finish setting up.”
I walked until I found Jake hunched over an empty table, pressing tape down over several pieces of cardboard. “I think I’ve just about got it,” he mumbled without looking up. “Are you nervous?”
I squeaked with laughter and he paused. “Hayden? Are you high right now?”
I shook my head and lifted my glasses to fan my streaming eyes. “I just met—” I dissolved into another fit of giggles. “Jake…”
His lips turned up into a smirk. “What happened?”
“The author at the table next to mine writes shifter ménage; but not about bears because that would be unbelievable. She tried penguins, but—” I gave up and knelt down, certain I was going to pee my pants.
His brow furrowed. “Penguins? Who the fuck wants to read about penguin shifters? This is good. People will take one look at that and come straight for your table. Go back and I’ll meet you in a second. I’m just going to add a few more things and check in with my guy.”
I’d almost forgotten that we weren’t really here to promote my books, but to find the person who wanted me dead. Marilyn gave me a tight-lipped smile before whispering something to the author behind her. They both looked me up and down before turning away.
Well, I wasn’t here to make friends.
Jake came back over with the sign and I covered my mouth in surprise. He’d sketched out my name in big, bold letters and added a drawing of a cat face underneath.
“It’s perfect. Thank you!”
“I thought maybe people would see it and think you write domestic cat shifter porn. Might be a good icebreaker.” He taped it up on the front of the table and we stepped back to admire it.
My sign resembled something a homeless person might hold up on a street corner, but it was handmade and that made it better than anyone else’s here.
Seeing my name in Jake’s handwriting did weird things to me. I waited until he walked off to grab some bottled water before snapping a picture of it.
I resisted the urge to hug him, mainly because I knew I wouldn’t be able to let go. I’d turn it into some embarrassing display of unrequited lust that Jake would assume I’d scripted. We hadn’t really fought in a month and I wasn’t going to be the reason our ceasefire ended.
Once the doors opened, things got a little crazy. Women of all ages swarmed the ballroom, nearly all of them dragging wagon-sized carts behind them.
“You might have a line in front of your table,” Marilyn noted with a sour face. “I have quite the fan base here, so I’ll apologize in advance if we block your table. My readers are vicious.”
She gave another witch laugh before shuffling back behind her table. Jake rolled his eyes and mimicked, “My readers just have to know if the alpha penguin shifter is sitting on twin or triplet eggs.”
I swatted his arm playfully and grinned. I was at my first signing and instead of hanging out in the bathroom, applying damp paper towels under my arms, I was sitting next to a gorgeous man who made me forget to feel nervous.
I wasn’t the only woman who appeared lost in the presence of Jake either. Nearly every woman that stepped onto our row froze when they saw him.
A few tentatively approached and took their time browsing the backs of my books; their eyes darting up at him every few seconds. Others simply observed him from Marilyn’s table.
If Jake knew what they were doing, he played it cool. His arm rested on the back of my chair and every so often, his fingertips brushed against my shoulder.
Several women that approached had read the Blood Letters trilogy and loved it. One had even made a cloth bookmark featuring the cover of book one.
“Jake, look.” I held it up and a small smile appeared.
“Do you read her stuff?” the older one asked him.
He nodded. “You could say that. I’m more into her Detective Hopkins novels.”
I bit the inside of my lip to hide my grin and signed the inside of their books, feeling giddy. I was at a book signing and people had brought copies of my books for me to sign.
If only my idiot brother were here to witness this. No, I was Zen. I wished him love and light… and a front-row seat to me being the center of attention for once.
“Can we get a picture with the two of you?”
I nodded and the two women crowded around us behind the table, practically pushing me and Jake together. His hand rested between my shoulder blades, pulling me into his side. Unable to resist a once in a lifetime opportunity, I let my cheek rest against a wall of pectoral muscles.
A familiar frosted bob moved through the crowd and I froze. Jake waited until the women moved on before questioning me.
“What did you see?”
I stood up on my tiptoes, trying to find her in the crowd. “I swore I saw—”
“Hello, Hayden.”
We both turned toward the voice and I awkwardly stuck my hand out. “Anne Marie, hello. What are you doing here?” I kept glancing warily around the room, certain that Rob was going to jump out from behind a table to grope me. I never imagined that a politician’s wife would be caught dead in a place like this.
Following my gaze, she added with a pinched expression, “Rob’s not with me and I’d prefer if you not mention that you saw me. It wouldn’t look…appropriate to the voters.”
I nodded and glanced down at the rolling cart filled to the brim with books. “You’ve got quite the haul here.”
Anne Marie gave me another tight-lipped smile before pointing toward Body of Proof. “I just need one more to complete my list
.”
“You’ve read my books?”
“I did. The Detective Hopkins books were your best yet,” I grinned like a madwoman and she added, “Until One in the Chamber. The writing was weak and the plot almost non-existent. Was there supposed to be a follow-up book to that because I just can’t imagine how you go on from there.”
Jake took the cash from her with an ear-to-ear grin, while I hastily scrawled my signature on the inside cover and shoved the book into her hands. “Great! Well, I will definitely keep your feedback in mind. So good to see you!”
She disappeared back into the crowd and I turned to Jake. “Don’t say it. Please.”
He gave me a half smirk. “Say what? Did something happen?”
“You were right. I’m wrong. There. You happy now?”
He squeezed my shoulder lightly. “Completely happy. So, tell me. How do you know her?”
I frowned. “Jake, she and her husband come into the salon all the time. You saw him the last time you were there; slimy little greaseball who can’t keep his hands to himself?”
The grin faded, and he pulled his phone from his pocket.
“You don’t think she might have something to do with the notes, do you?” I hadn’t considered the possibility that someone I knew in real life would be after me.
“I don’t know, but I gave a description to my guy. He’ll follow her and see where she leads us. You just focus on the signing, okay?”
I nodded but kept an eye on the door.
Just to be safe.
“This isn’t going to work,” I said into the phone. “I was told that we’d have two double beds.”
Computer keys clicked rapidly in the background. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Michaels, but we’re completely booked tonight. I don’t have any double bed rooms left.”
“Thanks anyway.” I hung up with a heavy sigh.
The event had gone so well. The only book I didn’t sell out of was One in the Chamber. It didn’t sell out because not one person bought it.
Otherwise, I was calling it a smashing success. I’d signed books until my hand cramped and smiled for every picture. And the high was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
“Jake, they can’t switch our room. What are we go—” I came to a halt when I reached the small sitting area. He was folded in half on the couch with his face resting against his knees.
“Do you feel okay?” he mumbled through his legs.
“I feel fine. Why? Are you sick?” I placed the back of my hand on his neck and he jerked away with a groan.
“I don’t know. I feel…weird. Maybe it’s food poisoning. Aren’t your fairy bullshit potions supposed to protect us against this?” He stood up suddenly and swayed on his feet. “I’ll be right back.”
I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten him to agree to being spritzed with my oil blend this morning, but he had to have known that the oils only worked on negative energy and not tainted food.
“We ate the same things though. If you have food poisoning, then I should have it too.”
When there was no response from the bathroom, I went back and began unpacking my suitcase. We were going to be leaving tomorrow afternoon, but I needed something to do. I fired off a quick text to Aaris to let her know how it had gone and to check in on Bootsy.
Afterward, I kicked my heels off and sank down onto the mattress and watched the sun set through the wall of windows. When the room grew dark, I realized that Jake had been in the bathroom for a very long time.
“Jake?” I called hesitantly. “Do you need anything? I can grab you some ginger ale or—” The door suddenly opened, and I jumped back in fright. “Jesus, Jake.”
He gripped the doorframe in his massive hands and watched me curiously. “What are you doing here?”
“What do you mean? I just told you that they couldn’t get us separate rooms…are you sure you’re okay?”
He looked like hell. His shirt was unbuttoned and untucked. My gaze drifted lower and I froze. Oh my god, his semi-erect dick was hanging out of his pants.
I held up a finger. “Um, if you’ll just, um…”
Jake grinned and tapped his index finger against my nose. “I got you, Hayden. I. Got. You.” With that, he closed the door in my face.
I knocked lightly. “Hello?”
He flung the door open and this time stalked toward me like a predator in search of prey. He’d shed his shirt but hadn’t bothered to put his dick away, and it swayed in a very distracting manner with each step he took.
I continued backing up until I reached the windows. “Jake? What’s wrong with you?”
“Come here.” He held out his arms. I hesitantly took a step toward the bed, but he caught my arm and pulled me back toward the windows. “Baby, do you know what I’ve been doing?”
Baby?
I shook my head and offered, “Vomiting?”
“No, I’ve been thinking about today. You conquered your fears. Just like that. Hayden, listen.” He held up a hand. “You write so beautifully. The inside of your mind must be a fucked up place.”
What the actual hell had happened to him in the bathroom?
I remained silent, but he held his hand up again. “Stop. Don’t argue with me. I’ve been trying to work it out since I got here. How is a girl like you single? I’ve been trying to figure it out and tonight, it just hit me. The drawer in your nightstand was the key, don’t you see?”
He laughed at his rhyme and I shook my head. “Are you drunk? Why are you acting like this?”
Jake mashed his finger against my lips. “Shhhh…I’ve been thinking about all of those toys. It was a sign that you aren’t going out on many dates—”
“Thank you, Sherlock. You’ve been most helpful,” I mumbled around his finger.
“Stop. I wanted to kiss you that night, okay?” He stared down at me with a serious expression. “I wanted to kiss you before that night, and I want to kiss you right now.”
I felt light-headed at his revelation. “I can’t have this conversation with you right now.” He was completely shit-faced and not likely to remember saying any of it.
His arms came up to rest on either side of my head, caging me in, before his mouth dropped to the spot where my neck and collarbone met.
“Jake,” I pleaded breathlessly.
His lips moved up and he whispered, “When I walked in on you in the bedroom, I wanted to watch.” His teeth grazed my neck. “I wanted you to dump out the entire drawer and give me a demonstration on how it all worked.”
A soft moan escaped, and I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood.
“And then.” He pulled my hair up in his fist as his teeth connected with my ear lobe, nipping and sucking until I was just as impaired as he was. “Then, I wanted to fuck you so well that you had no use for any of it anymore.”
When my legs began shaking, Jake bent down and carried me over to the bed, shedding his pants in the process. His boxer briefs clung to his hips and his dick jutted proudly over the waistband.
Possessed by the same madness, I sat up and pulled the blouse over my head. He grabbed my ankles, pulling me down toward the end of the bed. His hands made quick work of the hooks on my slacks and they quickly joined my blouse on the floor.
We were now in our underwear. This was a brand new development and I couldn’t move or take a proper breath as I waited to see how he’d respond.
Jake covered my body with his, spreading my hips wide to fit around his massive body. One hand moved up to grip my hair while the other yanked the cups of my bra down so he could pay tribute with his mouth.
I arched my back and rolled my hips forward until his erection was right where I needed it. He lightly bit down on my nipple and I shivered, pushing the thin material of my panties against him.
“Please,” I begged for something I couldn’t put into words.
This was a horrible idea and I needed to stop. He was obviously fucked up and I would hate myself once it was over, yet I kept meeting his short thru
sts, not caring that this would only end in heartache.
Once he was satisfied that my nipples were ready to cut glass, he moved up and sucked my bottom lip into his, keeping me pinned in place by my hair. Our tongues fought for control with each of us sinking our teeth in where we could.
Jake kissed me like the world was ending and I was his lifeline. Instead of arguing, I panted and moaned for him to continue his assault.
His hand moved down between us, pulling my panties to the side before I felt the head of his cock against my entrance. One hip thrust and he’d be inside of me. Well, as much of him as he could fit.
“I want in,” he growled against my lips. “I want to mark you in ways that stick long after I’m gone.”
Long after I’m gone…
It was enough to snap me out of my stupor. I sucked in a ragged breath and shook my head. “No,” I whispered. “I can’t.”
I knew what this was, even if in his impairment, he’d temporarily forgotten. I already cared about him more than I should. Sex would just complicate those feelings further.
“Fuck,” he growled before moving away from me. “Fuck.” He swallowed hard and then nodded before standing up unsteadily. “You’re right.”
I felt along the comforter for my glasses. They’d disappeared at some point during the excitement, leaving me blind. Jake leaned across the bed and gently placed them in my hands before straightening again.
I took one look at him and everything in me begged for reconsideration. He tried coaxing his giant hard-on back into his boxer briefs, but it was having none of it.
“Just give me a second,” Jake managed in a strangled voice as he tried corralling it with his hand. I worked to keep my eyes averted while wrapping my head around what had just happened.
He was fine at the signing. There was nothing that indicated he wasn’t feeling well until we got back here. Something had happened between the end of the event and now. Maybe it was some sort of virus pumped through the air vents that made me irresistible to men.
He watched as I pulled my bra back up, his Adam’s apple moving up and down in another long swallow. “Fuck, Hayden. You’re gorgeous.”
Protagonized Page 23