“I’m actually relieved to hear that. It wasn’t the right place for you.”
“Yeah, but that begs the question, where is the right place for me? I’ve scoured the classifieds, no one calls me back and, if they do and I make it to an interview, they tell me it just won’t work. I’m unemployable in this town, which makes it damn hard to live here. I want to be part of your pack, Connor, but how can I do that if I can’t provide for myself?”
“Find a mate?”
She snorted. “Like I need a man to take care of me. I’ve been doing just fine on my own. If I can’t find work, I’ll have to move on.”
“Something tells me you wanted to discuss more than that.”
“Have you thought about having more werewolf run businesses in Ashton Grove? I mean, Matt isn’t a werewolf, but he did hire within the pack. But other than his real estate business, all we have is Gabriel’s garage and your construction company.”
“Most of the wolves in the pack don’t have the know-how to run a business, or the financial backing.”
“That’s what loans are for. Besides that, have you thought of hiring a manager for the wolf dorms and the women’s apartments? You could use the revenue from the rent to pay someone to handle all calls concerning those areas. You could even hire a maintenance worker. That would provide at least two jobs, three if you split the managerial position, having a separate one for the dorms and the apartments.”
“You make a good point. We’ve been using the revenue, in part, to pay Ramsey for being a recruiter. But there is enough left over to hire someone, at least part-time, to manage the two areas. We could offer a rent discount, or even free rent, as an incentive. Would that be something that would interest you? You might have to find something else to help pay the rest of the bills if it was only part-time, but it would get you started. Keep a roof over your head while you look.”
“Would the pack provide a dedicated cell phone just for the job? I wouldn’t use it for personal calls, but I don’t carry enough minutes on my cell to cover it.”
He nodded.
“I’d need to know more about my responsibilities, the pay and hours. But yes, it would be something that interests me. It would allow me to stay here, which is what I’d like to do. Ashton Grove has quickly begun to feel like home to me.”
“I’ll talk it over with Gabriel and get back with you in a day or two.”
She froze. “Gabriel?”
Connor lifted an eyebrow. “You have a problem with that?”
“No, it’s just… I thought he wasn’t dealing with pack issues right now. No one’s really seen him since…”
“He’s doing better,” Connor said softly. “I have a feeling you’ll have your alpha back sooner than you think. Having Kinley around has been good for him. He’s even been interacting with Adriel some, and spoke with me just this morning. He isn’t ready to come back to us yet, but he’s getting there.”
“If he’d just shift and run, I bet he would feel better. Everyone’s saying he hasn’t left his house since he went home that day.”
“He hasn’t, to my knowledge. That doesn’t mean that he won’t though. With the right incentive, I believe he’ll rejoin us. Aislinn assures me that’s going to happen sooner than we think.”
If Connor’s mate “saw” Gabriel rejoining the pack, that was good enough for her. She hadn’t had a chance to get to know him very well before he’d gone into hiding, but he’d been kind to her the few times she’d spoken to him. She could only imagine the heartache he must feel, losing his mate and child. Allie wasn’t sure she would survive such a thing, if she was ever blessed with a mate. She wasn’t entirely sure there was a man out there who could handle her. More than once she’d been called stubborn. And a bitch. She didn’t think she was a bitch, she just knew what she wanted and went after it, and she didn’t need a man in her life to complete her.
“Think about the job tonight and let me know in the morning if you want to move forward. You’d have to work out of your apartment, since an office was never created for those buildings. The pack would take care of any supplies you needed though.”
She nodded. “Thank you. I’ll call you in the morning.”
“Just don’t make it too early.” He winked.
Laughing, she rose from the chair and made her way toward the door. She paused, her hand on the knob.
“Thank you, Connor. You didn’t have to agree with me, and you certainly didn’t have to create a job for me. I didn’t want to leave the pack, but I would have if it came down to it.”
He just smiled and she stepped outside, closing the door behind her. She’d no sooner cleared the steps than she felt someone watching her. Lifting her gaze, she found the were-tiger staring at her. He’d removed his shirt at some point and his sun- bronzed skin glistened with sweat. Without thought, she licked her lips. Cain’s lips tipped up in a sensual panty melting grin. Oh lord, but the man was lethal! She’d desired men before, but she’d never had one make her wet just by smiling at her. Hell, he hadn’t even needed to smile. Just standing there in the sunshine, all those muscles on display had been more than enough.
She pulled away from his hypnotic gaze and briskly walked to her SUV. She hadn’t bothered locking it so slid in behind the wheel. As she cranked the engine, she glanced Cain’s way again and found him still staring at her. Her hand lifted and brushed across her nose, thinking maybe she’d gotten something on her face. She’d never had someone stare at her so intently before and it was a little unnerving.
Allie pulled out of the parking space, trying not to spit gravel from under her tires in her haste to get away from the tiger and the unbearable lust swamping her. When she hit the road, instead of turning left and going home, she hung a right, with no particular destination in mind. As her foot pressed the accelerator, her vehicle picking up speed, the town of Ashton Grove became a speck in her rearview mirror. Allie drove down the highway, trees whipping by, feeling the need for…she wasn’t sure what. Her skin felt too tight, confining, and she knew a run probably would have done her wonders. Running around as a wolf in the middle of the morning wasn’t the best idea though, especially in an area where there weren’t any wild wolves.
The town of Jonestown lay before her, a pretty brick sign welcoming her. It wasn’t much different from Ashton Grove, but it was a little bigger. Allie had never been much of a shopper, so she bypassed the mall and shopping centers. As she cruised through the historic downtown, a neon sign caught her eye. Skinz Tattoos & Piercings. She really shouldn’t stop, having just lost her job. Although, technically, she did have a savings account she could tap into if she needed it. It didn’t have a lot in it but, if she budgeted, she could make it until Connor paid her. She’d already decided to call him in the morning and accept the job.
She didn’t think tattoo parlors were open this early in the day, but the Open sign was lit up in neon orange. Ever since she’d been old enough, she’d wanted a tattoo, but something had always held her back. Putting something permanent on your body took a lot of careful consideration, but she was feeling wild and reckless today. Something was driving her to enter the shop; and being someone who always followed her intuition, she got out of the SUV, stepped onto the sidewalk, and pushed the glass door open.
A woman sat at the reception desk, her hair shining a bright pink under the fluorescent lights. She smiled when she saw Allie. “Welcome to Skinz. Are you looking to get a tattoo or a piercing? Maybe both?”
Could she do both? “I guess it depends on the cost. I’m on a budget right now. A behemoth I know got me fired yesterday.”
The woman giggled. “Boyfriend?”
“Not hardly.”Allie snorted. And yet…the idea was a little intriguing. No! Absolutely not! Just because the man knew how to fill out a pair of jeans was no reason to even remotely think of him as date-worthy. Okay, so he had those massive biceps, and that perfectly lickable chest. Then there was his devastating smile. She sighed.
“Do
you know what kind of tattoo you want?”
“I was hoping you might have a book I could flip through to get some inspiration.”
The woman motioned to several books at the end of the counter. “The purple album is my work. If you want another artist, you’ll have to come back after six.”
Allie drifted down to the end of the counter and flipped open the purple book. There was a combination of pictures showing tattoos and piercings. When she saw the Prince Albert piercing, her eyebrows lifted. Now that would be fun to play with.
There were a lot of flowers and butterflies, more than three black panthers tearing through someone’s skin. When she saw the white tiger under the waterfall, though, she knew she was on the right track. Her gaze shifted to the Flash on the walls. Moving toward the wall of wildcats, she reached up to stroke a particularly large Bengal tiger. She really shouldn’t…maybe look at the wolves or something. And yet, there was something about the tiger that called to her. Was it because Cain was on her mind so much lately? It would be a way of having him without actually having him. She could keep a piece of him with her always, without the issue of his macho bullshit.
The woman came up beside her. “Find something you like?”
“How much would it cost to have a tiger that started at my hip and wrapped down my thigh? Maybe have his tail come up to my waist a bit?”
The woman’s eyebrows rose. “That’s quite a piece. Normally, it would cost you about two grand, assuming you want a lot of details thrown in. Maybe bark under his paws or lotus blossoms around him or something? Your skin is a nice golden color, but throwing in some pinks would really make the design pop.”
Allie shook her head. “I’ll have to come back after I’ve started getting paychecks again. My savings has that much in it, but it has to last me a little while.”
Of course, Connor had said rent would be included, so that did save her a little bit. Still, two thousand was just too much, no matter how much she wanted it. She had to be practical, as much as it killed her. Getting a tattoo of that whacked out shifter was bad enough, but shelling out two grand for it? Uh-uh. No way.
“I tell you what,” the woman said. “You’re the first customer of the day, and since this is my place and I make up my own rules, what if I did it for six hundred? I can certainly commiserate with you about big apes ruining your life. My ex was a biker who cleaned out my savings account and nearly cost me this shop.”
“You’d really do that for me?”
The woman nodded and held out her hand. “I’m Candice. Candy for short.”
Allie’s gaze strayed to her hair and wondered if the Easter egg she was wearing had anything to do with the nickname. Her bobbed hair certainly looked like a pink jelly bean.
Allie shook Candy’s hand. “I’m Allie.”
“Just give me a minute to lock up and we’ll head to the back since you’ll have to strip down for me to do this.” She smiled. “I don’t think you want to be in full view of the street with your shorts and undies on.”
Allie laughed. She hadn’t really thought about it when she’d requested the tattoo, but Candy had a point. As a shifter, nudity didn’t bother her much, but she could just imagine the look on some old lady’s face as she passed by the shop and peered in at Allie’s half-naked form getting inked. The backroom was definitely a good idea.
Candy locked up, led her down a short hall and pushed open the last door on the right. There was a black padded table, a cabinet that looked like it was filled with inks, and a bunch of stuff she didn’t recognize. After Candy shut the door, Allie began stripping out of her clothes. She tucked her shirt up under her bra and climbed onto the table, lying on her left side. She’d already decided she wanted the tiger on her right.
She watched as Candy got everything ready. “Don’t you need a stencil or something?”
Candy shook her head. “I do all of my ink freehand. But if you’d prefer to see the design first, I can sketch something for you.”
Allie shook her head. “I’ve seen your work. I trust you to make it pretty without it being too girly.”
Candy smiled. “Got it. You’re a tough chick and don’t want anything frou-frou. I’ll give you a tiger to be envied and add some little feminine touches, without detracting from the ferocity of the beast.”
“Deal.”
Allie breathed out as she heard the buzz of the tattoo gun. When it touched her skin, she tried not to flinch. She’d known it wouldn’t feel good, but she hadn’t known what to expect. It wasn’t like she’d thought it would tickle, but the outline felt a little bit like a knife skimming the top of her skin. She didn’t know how long she lay there but, eventually, Candy switched out inks and began filling in the tiger. Now it felt like a rug burn. Something told her she wouldn’t be sleeping on her right side for a while.
By the time Candy was finished, it was well past lunch, heading into early dinner time. Allie very carefully dressed and followed Candy to the front counter. Paying and receiving her aftercare instructions, she slowly walked out to her SUV. Her leg was burning like a son-of-a-bitch, but she’d seen the design and it was well worth it. With her shifter heritage, it would be completely healed in a day or two. Smiling, Allie thought about wearing her teeny tiny black jogging shorts tomorrow, to show off her new design.
She took her time returning to Ashton Grove and went straight home. She had no idea what she’d fix for dinner, but she had some pasta and a few chicken breasts. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d combined them to make a good hearty meal. Parking her SUV in the shade, she got out and slowly walked up to her apartment. The material of her shorts was pressing on the tattoo and it was more than a little uncomfortable. The first thing she was going to do was change into a nice, soft knit sundress. And ditch the panties.
When she approached her door, she froze, not quite believing her eyes.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
He lifted the pizza boxes in his hand. “I brought dinner.”
Her gaze dropped to the sack at his feet. “And that?”
“I wasn’t sure what you liked to drink so I bought a six pack and some wine coolers. I figured you’d like one or the other.”
He’d brought her dinner? And alcohol? Was he looking to score or something? Get the little wolf drunk and see if she rolls over and shows her belly? Or climbs onto all fours and begs for the big, bad tiger to give her his cock? She had to admit, that one sounded kind of good. If anyone could give her a wild ride in bed, she’d bet it would be Cain. He seemed so untamed.
“Since you’re here, I guess you can come in.”
She moved past him and unlocked the door, pushing it open. When she stepped inside, the air conditioning caressed her heated skin. Allie tossed her keys and purse on the table nearest her and turned to face Cain. He’d stepped inside and was closing the door behind him, with his delectable ass since his hands were occupied. She supposed she should have offered to do that. Taking the drinks from him, she headed into the small kitchen to put them in the fridge. When she turned around, Cain was crowding her, having placed the pizzas on the counter.
He moved in closer, his fingers skimming the edge of her bandage.
“Did you get hurt today?”
“No. I, uh, got a tattoo.”
Curiosity gleamed in his eyes as he stared at the bandage, trying to pull up the edge of her shorts. “How far up does it go?”
“To my waist.”
His gaze jerked up to hers. “You got naked for someone to ink you?”
Allie rolled her eyes. “Relax, macho man. A woman tattooed me and I don’t think she was interested in my lady bits.”
A low growl rumbled from him. “Do I get to see it?”
“Like I’m going to strip naked for you to examine me.”
“Fine.” He looked around before returning his gaze to her. “If you’ll tell me where everything is, I’ll get our food set up while you change and wash your new ink. Do have everything you need to t
ake care of it?”
“I keep A&D Ointment on hand so, yes, I have everything I need.”
He nodded and turned toward the cabinets.
“Plates are to the left of the stove and glasses to the right of the sink. I’ll be back just as soon as I’ve showered.”
He turned, his gaze burning into her. There was heat there, and more lust than she’d ever seen on man’s face before. Maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned the shower? Turning, she hurried out of the room, closing her bedroom door behind her. She slumped against it a moment, trying to gather her scattered thoughts and get her racing heart under control. That man turned her inside out, and she wasn’t sure if she liked it.
Chapter Four
Cain banged around in the kitchen, getting out two plates, loading them down with supreme pizza. He opened the fridge and pulled out a wine cooler for her and a beer for himself. She hadn’t specified which she preferred, but she seemed like the type to like fruity drinks. Not that he thought she was a girly-girl, but the woman did fill a skirt rather nicely. Even if he had thought it was too short. Well, too short for everyone else to be staring at her. It was the perfect length for her to entertain him in private. Yeah, like that would happen. He shook his head.
Gathering their things, he set them up at the small table she had, then sat and waited. He could hear the water running and knew she was in the shower. Just knowing that she was naked on the other side of the door was enough to make him ache. Hell, he’d been aching ever since he leaned against her door. Being near her, or her residence apparently, was enough to do it for him. He’d never reacted so…eagerly to a woman before. He knew his cock hadn’t gotten any action lately, other than his hand, but the damn thing was like a divining rod, pointing straight at Allie.
He heard the water turn off and heard her moving around in the bedroom. He waited as patiently as possible, but his imagination was in overdrive. Would she wear some of those short shorts she liked? He really wanted to see what tattoo she’d gotten. Something told him it wouldn’t be anything ordinary like a butterfly. If he had a dollar for every time he saw a butterfly tattooed on a woman, he’d be a rather rich man.
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