Captivated by the Cougar

by Rayna Tyler

  Of course, selling my brothers on the idea might be difficult, but it was something I’d worry about later. “Fine. I would love the information if it’s not too much of an inconvenience.”

  “No inconvenience at all.” Preston stretched his arm across the table and placed his hand over mine. “It would be my pleasure.”

  His cocky grin was laced with sincerity and was highly infectious. It was difficult to stay angry with the man when he was being charming. I couldn’t have held back my smile even if I’d wanted to. Then there was the distracting way he was making small circles on the back of my hand with his thumb. My wolf wanted to climb on the table and have him rub her belly. That delicious thought was shoved from my mind when I heard Nick bellow Mandy’s name. Preston groaned when I jerked my hand from beneath his and slid back in my chair.

  “In here,” Mandy answered excitedly, then quickly got out of her seat.

  Reese and Nick sauntered into the room with Bear trailing on their heels. The dog liked to explore and must have made his way to the front of the lodge after I’d let him out.

  “Missed you.” Mandy launched herself into Nick’s arms.

  “Missed you too.” Nick pulled her into a hug, then gave her the kind of kiss I wished they’d keep behind closed doors.

  Reese shook his head and walked around them. Bear didn’t seem to care either, more intent on reaching his favorite spot and curling up to take a nap under the table.

  When Nick finally let Mandy come up for air, she happily asked, “How did it go with the architect?”

  Nick grinned. “He liked all your ideas and will call when the preliminary drawing is ready to review.” He peered around Mandy and glanced at the albums. “What have you been up to?”

  “Looking at wedding dresses. Want to see?” Mandy didn’t wait for his response before she tugged him toward the table.

  “Okay,” Nick hesitantly uttered.

  It was hard not to laugh at the terrified expression he was doing his best to hide from Mandy.

  “So,” Reese interrupted, then took a swig of the soda he’d gotten out of the refrigerator before leaning against the counter. He tipped his chin in the direction of the table, then asked Preston, “What’s with the mouse?”

  I’d completely forgotten that Preston had set the toy on the table when he was helping me with lunch.

  “Gift from your sister.” Preston grinned, then picked the mouse up by the tail and twirled it in a matter-of-fact manner as if getting something from me was an everyday occurrence.

  “Do we even want to know what you did to piss her off?” Nick asked, taking a seat in the chair next to Mandy’s.

  “No,” Preston and I blurted out at the same time.

  Even though I could feel the heat rising on my cheeks, it was comforting to know that Preston wasn’t interested in having anyone in the room find out why I was getting even with him either.

  Reese and Nick didn’t say anything, didn’t need to. The knowing glance that passed between them, along with their matching grins, pretty much said it all.

  “Darn, I need to go.” Nina tapped the watch on her wrist and shot out of her chair. “My shift starts in a few minutes.” She smiled at Reese. “I don’t want the boss to think I’m slacking.”

  I grinned. “As if.” Nina ranked a ten out of ten on being a super employee who was always on time.

  “What about the books?” Mandy pulled her gaze away from the page she’d been showing Nick.

  “Cassie said you can hang on to the books, but remember to take them back when you go in to try on dresses.”

  “Please tell her I said thanks,” Mandy said.

  “Will do.” Nina made it a few steps, then stopped. “Oh, I almost forgot. A few of my friends from town are throwing me a birthday party at the Suds ’n’ Springs this Friday, and you’re all invited.” She glanced at everyone expectantly.

  Nick did a good job disguising his cringe. When I’d first met him, hanging out with the family or attending any gatherings where there’d be a lot of humans would have sent him into a frenzy and he’d be nervously pacing the room.

  “We wouldn’t miss it,” Mandy answered for all of us. “Right, Nick?” She nudged her mate in the ribs with her elbow.

  “Right.” Nick forced a smile in Nina’s direction.

  “I’ll make it up to you later.” Mandy had forgotten that the other shifters in the room had enhanced hearing and could hear everything she said. Her attempt at keeping her voice low to hide what she said to Nick was moot.

  “Great, you guys are awesome.” Nina turned and sprinted from the room.

  Chapter Seven

  BERKLEY

  Friday was the first full day I’d had off in a month, and I’d been looking forward to its arrival all week. All I wanted to do was stay in bed, maybe lounge around until noon. Sleeping in wasn’t something I normally did—ever—but the idea of hiding from the world for a few hours after the stressful week I’d had was very tempting.

  Though the last twenty-four hours had been filled with normal work activities and things around the lodge had run smoothly, I was still experiencing an underlying wave of tension. To my relief, I hadn’t heard a peep out of Brenda Radcliffe. She’d even booked an extra week after her friends checked out yesterday. I assumed it had something to do with her spending a considerable amount of time at Gabe’s place.

  Surprisingly, even Maris hadn’t gone out of her way to track me down and force me to listen to her ever-growing list of complaints. I should have been relieved, but her sudden silence concerned me and had my wolf pacing. Though she was scheduled to leave in a couple of days, I was no closer to discovering why she was here.

  A lot could happen before she left. It was more than enough time for Maris to accomplish whatever she had planned. A plan she might have shared with Sherri now that they’d been here most of the week. Sherri and I had always gotten along well, and I’d hoped to get her alone to see if I could coax some information out of her. I never got the chance, because wherever Sherri went, Maris could be found hovering close by.

  Hearing a melodic tune playing on my cell pushed away my troubling thoughts. I grabbed the phone off the nightstand, glanced at Mandy’s name on the screen, and smiled. I’d promised her we’d drive into Ashbury and shop for her wedding dress before heading to the Suds ’n’ Springs to help Nina celebrate her twenty-first birthday.

  “Morning,” I answered.

  “You’re not still in bed, are you?” Mandy’s enthusiasm was infectious. She’d been bubbling with excitement since the day before, when she’d confirmed her appointment with Cassie.

  I glanced at the clock and groaned. “We aren’t leaving for another two hours.”

  “So, what’s your point?”

  “My point is I have plenty of time to get ready.” I could hear her pacing through the phone and realized her problem. “How much coffee have you had?”

  “Three cups, why?” Mandy’s human metabolism was like a sponge. Caffeine in large doses had the same effect as letting a small child eat a large box of candy.

  “Let me talk to Nick.”

  “What...no... Fine,” Mandy grumbled, then hollered for my brother.

  “Hey, sis, what’s up?” Nick cheerily asked once he got on the phone.

  “Do me a favor and help your mate work off some of that energy before we leave?”

  “I can do that.” I didn’t have to see his face to know he was grinning and would be dragging Mandy back to their bedroom once the call ended.

  “Good. I’ll see you guys later.” I placed the phone on the nightstand, then rolled out of bed and headed for the shower.

  An hour and a half later, after grabbing a slice of toast and downing a cup of coffee, I was ready for the trip into town.

  The temperatures had grown increasingly colder all week, so I’d opted to wear my favorite pair of ankle-high leather boots and remembered to grab a heavy coat before slipping out the back door of the lodge on my way to Nic
k and Mandy’s cabin.

  Once outside, I paused to inhale the fresh crisp air and admire the glistening white blanket of snow. The sprinkling of flakes we’d had throughout the prior day must have gotten heavier sometime during the night. Each step I took left an inch-deep impression in the untouched layer.

  By the time I’d reached the end of the narrow path that opened up into a small clearing behind the cabin, most of the tension I’d woken up with had dissipated. That was until something cold and wet smacked the side of my face. At first, I thought some snow had fallen from one of the tree branches hanging high above my head. Then Nick appeared from behind a tree, a not so innocent grin on his face, and I knew where the snow had come from.

  It was great to see him so playful and acting like a child, but it didn’t mean I was in the mood to participate. Not when the snow slipped below my collar, sent an icy chill slithering along my skin, and was leaving a wet trail between my breasts.

  “Nick,” I growled and brushed the remnants from my shoulder.

  “Berkley, it was an accident.” Nick held up an empty gloved hand. “I swear.”

  It was his other hand, the one that remained conveniently concealed behind his back, that held my attention. “Sure it was.” I scooped up a handful of snow and formed it into a nice tight ball. Making a good snowball was practically a prerequisite for any kid growing up in the Midwest who wanted to survive the cold weather activity.

  I had fond memories of the few times my mother brought Reese and me here to spend the Christmas holiday with my grandfather and we’d ended up having some stellar snowball fights. I recalled telling Nick about our favorite pastime during those winter vacations, but had neglected to mention my excellent aim.

  Nick had missed out on a lot growing up, and I figured it wouldn’t be long after the first snowfall that he’d draw me into a fight. I should have known it would be sooner rather than later.

  My cowardly brother threw the ball I knew was hidden in his hand, then dived behind the nearest tree. Luckily, I was good at dodging, because the small white missile missed me by a foot. Cats weren’t the only animals with a curious nature. Wolves were just as bad, and it wasn’t long before Nick poked his head out to see what I was doing.

  Without hesitation, I launched my attack. I was rather proud of myself when the ball hit him in the side of the head, exploding into a puff of white that left small clumps in his shiny black hair. Shifters are tougher than humans and have a greater healing ability, so I wasn’t worried about hurting him.

  “Hey, not fair.” Nick laughed and reached for more snow.

  “Nick.” Mandy’s appearance around the corner of the cabin had the ball slipping from my brother’s hand. “Have you seen...” She took one look at Nick’s drenched hair and the freshly formed snowball in my hand, and said, “Oh.”

  Mandy glanced in my direction, then tucked her hands in her pockets and pulled out a pair of gloves. “You need any help?” I so loved my friend and her willingness to come to my aid even if it meant going against her mate.

  Nick stared at Mandy, dumbfounded.

  I didn’t have the heart to tell him that Mandy could wield snowballs as well as any baseball professional and decided to take pity on him. “Nah, I got this.” I grinned as I tossed another ball back and forth between my gloved hands.

  “Okay, then. I guess I’ll wait for you inside.” Mandy giggled, then spun around and headed toward the front of the cabin.

  “Mandy,” Nick whined, turning and taking a few steps in her direction. “What happened to protecting your mate?”

  “My mate is on his own when he picks a snowball fight with my best friend,” Mandy yelled over her shoulder, laughing as she disappeared around the corner of their home.

  I didn’t wait for Nick to scoop up more snow before my ball was in the air and slamming into the back of his shoulder.

  Nick groaned and swung around to face me. “Damn it, sis. What happened to fighting fair?”

  “Hey, you’re the one who started it. Fair is not an option.” I smiled and leaned forward to grab more snow. I’d barely righted myself when I caught a blur of green out of the corner of my eye. The next instant, I was on the ground with Preston straddling my waist.

  “Morning, sweetness.” He gave me one of his beaming grins.

  I refused to let his musky scent or my body’s immediate arousal muddle my thinking capabilities. “What do you think you’re doing?” I snapped and squirmed. He’d been smart to pin my wrists above my head; otherwise, he’d be covered in snow by now.

  “Helping out Nick.” He winked at my brother. “We guys have to stick together.”

  I glanced at Nick, who was smirking and forming another snowball, then focused my glare on Preston. “You do know that snowball fights don’t include tackling your opponent, right?”

  Preston chuckled but didn’t budge. “They did when I was a kid.”

  Why am I not surprised? “Well, you’re not a kid anymore, so get off me.” Bucking my hips against his firm, thick legs was useless. I stopped struggling as soon as I realized the action had inspired an erection.

  “Hey, Pres, I’ll owe you big-time if you keep her there until I get inside,” Nick called out, already heading for the cabin.

  “Deal.”

  Once my traitorous brother was out of sight, I tried yanking free from Preston’s grip again. “He’s gone, so you can get your mangy ass off me.”

  “Awe, Berkley. We both know you have a thing for mangy. He snickered and leaned forward. “Would you like me to prove it?” he purred, skimming the side of my neck with his lips.

  Yes. “No, I don’t want you to prove it.” I squirmed some more. “What I want is for you to tell me what you’re doing out here.”

  “Didn’t Mandy tell you? I’m you’re chauffeur for the day.”

  “No.” I gritted my teeth. “She never mentioned it.” Mandy wasn’t forgetful, and though I wanted to get her alone and ask her why she hadn’t said anything, I knew better. If she was playing matchmaker as I suspected, saying something would only encourage her to try harder.

  “With the wedding plans and all, it must have slipped her mind,” Preston offered.

  I’ll bet it did. “Speaking of plans, Mandy’s waiting for me... I mean us.” Being this close to him was having an effect on my body temperature. At the rate it was rising, it wouldn’t be long before the snow underneath me melted. “Can you please let me up?”

  “Since you asked so nicely.” Preston’s smile included those dimples that I couldn’t resist. He rolled to his feet, taking me with him. Once we were standing, he kept his hand at my waist and dusted the snow off the back of my coat.

  “Thanks,” I said, taking a step back and immediately missing the contact. I hated to admit that I enjoyed our playful banter, that I actually looked forward to seeing him, and denying what was between us was getting harder every day.

  My wolf wasn’t happy either. She wanted to rub against his gorgeously tempting body and didn’t understand my hesitation to be closer to our mate. She didn’t understand my reluctance to trust or act on the ever-growing feelings I had for Preston. And though I didn’t want to admit it, neither did I.

  PRESTON

  Our trip into Ashbury had been delayed about fifteen minutes while Berkley and I waited for Mandy to change her shirt after Nick had doused her with snow. I wasn’t clear on the details and had no intention of asking, but from what I overheard, it had something to do with payback for being a traitorous mate. Payback that included the makeup kisses Berkley and I had interrupted when we’d walked into the cabin earlier.

  Sitting in the driver’s seat of my truck and overhearing the women’s conversation, I was glad I’d listened to my cat and accepted Mandy’s offer. When she’d first confronted me, asked me if Berkley was my mate, then insisted she would help me win her over, I wasn’t sure what to think. I was a dominant alpha, and having someone suggest I needed helped in the relationship department had bruised my male e
go.

  On the other hand, Mandy was Berkley’s best friend and knew her a lot better than I did. Even my cat, traitorous animal that he was, sided with the persuasive female. He was growing impatient with my reluctance to claim our mate and was urging me to do whatever was necessary to make it happen.

  Now.

  “If you’d said something sooner, I could have brought you a box to put those in.” Berkley groaned and slammed the back passenger door shut.

  “It’s not that big a deal. The three of us will fit up front without any problems.” Mandy opened the front passenger door and motioned for Berkley to get in first.

  Mandy hadn’t been kidding when she said she’d do whatever she could to help me, which included haphazardly filling up the backseat of my SuperCab truck with the books and albums Nina’s sister had loaned her.

  It was hard to hide my amusement after hearing Berkley’s derisive snort before she climbed into the cab. With Mandy also riding in the front, Berkley was forced to sit next to me, where she’d be sandwiched between us for the entire drive. Sure, it was the equivalent of a high school teenage move, but it didn’t stop me from wanting to give Nick’s ingenious mate a hug.

  After slipping on her belt, Berkley ignored me and glared at Mandy. “What happened to Bryson? I thought he was going with us today.”

  “Oh, he was,” Mandy answered nonchalantly, snapping her own belt into place.

  “But...” Berkley asked.

  “But he’s helping Nick with some stuff today.”

  “What kind of stuff?”

  “Oh, you know...stuff.” Mandy didn’t miss a beat and didn’t give Berkley a chance to question her further. “We thought it might be nice for Pres to get out since he hasn’t had a chance to see much of the area yet.”