Cougar's Victory: Pacific Northwest Cougars: (Shifter Romance)

by Moxie North

  “Hmm…I might want to play with you again later,” he said, kissing her until they were both out of breath again.

  “Well, all right then,” she said when they broke apart. The hell with it, she thought. It felt too good to agree with him.

  Dax was very helpful in getting her dressed again. Although it took longer than necessary as he kissed each bit of skin he was covering up.

  Once they were both somewhat respectable looking they made their way out of the office. Dax gave Margo a quick wave. Margo spotting their hands clasped together and the quick pace of their exit called out a, “You kids have fun!”

  Dax slowed his pace so Effie could keep up in her heels. Once they got to his car Effie’s mouth was hanging open. Not the normal SUV or farmer’s truck for their area.

  “What kind of car is this?”

  “It’s the ‘I’m so busy working I never get to play with any of my toys’ car. I know it’s crazy, but what can I say. I like to go fast,” he said with a wink. He helped her into the passenger seat and shut the door.

  They were off down the country road in a flash. Dax was right, it was fast.

  Effie was looking over the menu at Red Tomato when she noticed Dax wasn’t looking at his. He was looking at her, or more aptly, gazing, longingly at her.

  “Hey there smitten kitten, can I help you with something?” she said with a little laugh.

  “What did you call me?” Dax asked, shaking himself out of his stupor. Clearly he’d been staring at her, it’s like she was the only thing in the room. She was so beautiful that he wanted to memorize every detail of her.

  “Smitten kitten. It’s what my best friend and I say to tease each other with when we have a crush. That’s a favorite, but we also use twitterpated to truly express our deep longing,” she teased him.

  Clearing his throat, Dax decided he needed to get his shit together. He was never going to convince her that he was her One if he was acting like a moony-eyed teenager. The kitten comment was a giant waving flag that they had a lot to talk about. And that talk might not end as well as their day started.

  “Well, what can I say, when I see something I like. I admire it,” he covered.

  “Fair enough. So what are we having tonight?” she said, looking down again to look over the menu.

  “I don’t know, what’s good here?” Dax asked.

  Effie gave a short laugh, “Here’s a hint, whatever you order will be covered in red sauce, mozzarella cheese, and baked to a hard crust. So you really don’t have to worry about different flavor profiles competing with our fabulous wine selection,” she gestured towards the bottle of wine that might have been poured out of a box into the bottle since they never saw them uncork it.

  “Hmm, I might have to speak to the owner about offering some more local wines. I know of a winery that I think is going to make it big around here,” Dax said, leaning closer to Effie and giving her a wink.

  After they ordered, Effie let the silence drag out. She really liked Dax Hayes, but she refused to be the first one to dump her life story on the table. Over-sharing was a huge problem with her. Ask anyone at the Taco Shack she worked in after highschool. They could tell you her mom’s lawyer’s name, she shared so much. Not this time. She was going to bite her tongue even if she had to swallow the blood.

  What Effie didn’t realize was Dax and his cat were more than content with the quiet. His cat was pretty mellow and sitting at a table across from his mate was all he needed. Dax the man was aware of the stretch of silence. Not sure how to read it or if he should let her speak first, he forged ahead and broke the silence.

  “So, Effie Parks, would you like to know about me? Or do you want me to ask about you? Lady’s choice.”

  “Ahh sneaky. Is that a simple question or one laced with deeper meaning?” she asked.

  “Simple, I’m happy with either line of questioning,” he answered honestly.

  “All right then, lay it on me. Tell me about your family,” she offered. Not really wanting to wade into her life just yet. Plus how much he revealed would be in direct proportion to what she gave up.

  “Mom, dad, sister, twin brothers. Family makes wine. I went to school, went to grad school then started working the business so my parents could step back. I drive fast cars, ashamed to admit I play polo occasionally. Like the outdoors, like to read, can appreciate museums in small doses, would rather be sitting sunning myself on a sandy beach and have been waiting to meet the right woman for a very long time.”

  That was succinct, Effie thought. “What are your parent’s names?”

  “Lilibeth, my mom. And when you meet her just stick with Mrs. Hayes or your highness. It’s what I like to call her. My dad, Sebastian is more laid back. Funny guy, torments my tightlaced mother, but she clearly adores him and puts up with it.

  Before you ask, my sister Mackenzie, or Kenzi as we call her is younger than me and just got married to a great guy here in Washington. They are expecting their first baby any day now. My wretched little twin brothers, Everett and Stryker are back in California where my dad is trying to get them interested in the business.”

  “They don’t want to make wine?” Effie asked.

  Sighing and laughing, Dax explained, “Everett loves computers, he’s a genius really. He runs all our websites, shipping, even the manufacturing which is mostly ran by computer. He does it because he has to, but he’d rather be playing video games. All that crazy brain power and he will sit for days shooting aliens. He occasionally takes breaks to see what he can hack into, then goes back to the aliens.”

  “Gotta love a gamer,” Effie laughed.

  “Well Stryker, he’s what you’d call the black sheep. Great guy and fiercely loyal to his family. But wine is not his gig. Machines he likes, whether it’s tinkering with the equipment at the winery or working on cars. His life most definitely will not be spent sitting on a deck watching the grapes ripen. He likes to run off for weeks on end on his motorcycle. Drives my mom nuts. They’re both great guys, just young.”

  Effie tried to imagine what it would be like growing up with a mom, dad, and siblings. They probably had dinner around a table and talked about their days. Dax’s parents probably helped him with his homework and took him shopping when he had growth spurts. Being rich, their Christmases were probably straight out of a catalog. That was so far from Effie’s life she started to feel a knot in her stomach. What the hell was she going to say when he asked about her family?

  Chapter 14

  “So, let’s start small,” Dax said, breaking her out of her pity party. “Explain your name. It’s pretty unique and just plain pretty,” he offered, encouragingly.

  Effie resisted the urge to snort. “My nickname, I dig. My full name, not so much. I want you to know, there is only one other person I’ve ever trusted with this information and she’s a pinky sworn blood sister. Can I trust you with the top secret info?”

  Dax made a crossing gesture over his heart and held up the Boy Scout finger salute. She should have known he was a freaking boy scout.

  “My mother named me after the town I was conceived in and the fact it was Valentine’s Day,” she explained. She saw Dax hadn’t even blinked so she forged on. “My name is Ephrata Valentina Parks.”

  Staring at Dax she waited for him to burst out laughing. He didn’t. He brought his hand up to his chin and rubbed it for a minute. Then dropped it, reached for his wine and took a sip.

  “Tell me about you,” he said. No other words on her name. Like it wasn’t the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard.

  Grateful to not have someone snort their way through her explanation, she took the window he’d opened and jumped through.

  “Not much really, only child, no dad, mom out of the picture. Graduated high school, went to art school and moved in with my best friend. I have a penchant for tattoos, clearly. I like junk food and reality TV.”

  Again, Dax really didn’t offer any feedback. Just watched her, sipped his wine, and looked in
terested. Damn him, he was being all normal. Like what she said wasn’t pathetic or trashy. Why didn’t he say anything?

  “I happen to like your tattoos. I’d love to meet your friend. If she’s pinky promises then she is clearly your family. And I can’t say I watch that much reality TV, but I’d be happy for you to educate me on what I should be watching,” Dax said, leaning on the table, his face level with hers and much closer. Damn he was handsome, she thought.

  Effie was really confused now. She’d tried to keep her mini life story light and fluffy. Sanitized if you will. But usually people dug when they realized she was holding back. Dax Hayes was smart enough to know she wasn’t telling the whole truth. She could see it in his eyes, but he didn’t call her on it. Nope, he took what she offered and moved on. Who was this guy? Superman? Did he have some kind of alien power to mind his own damn business? Effie had never met anyone with that kind of self-control. It was kind of freaking her out.

  “That’s it?” she scoffed.

  “That’s it. I like you Effie, a lot. I want you, period. Nothing you can tell me or not tell me is going to change that. In time you’ll tell me more, but I understand you have to trust me first. I’ll wait. And whenever you want to share more about yourself I’m here to listen. I will tell you that I have a lot of things I need to tell you. And I hope you will be as open to the truth as I promise to be with you. No matter how deep and dark you think your secrets are, I assure you, I can top them.”

  “Doubtful,” she said quietly, looking down to her lap. She didn’t know how to deal with someone that was this open with their feelings. It was making her uncomfortable and unsteady.

  Reaching across the table, Dax offered his hand to her. Effie reached for his and was instantly calmer the minute they touched.

  “I would never lie to you Effie. And I don’t think you are lying to me about yourself. I think you are being cautious, I respect that.”

  “You’re serious aren’t you?” she asked in awe.

  “Of course, I told you I wouldn’t lie to you and I meant it. I see a long future for us, Effie. It may take time, but I’m not going to back away because of a few first date jitters,” Dax said with a smile.

  This woman was worth the effort. There wasn’t a good way for him to explain that because she was his mate, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to make her happy, comfortable and safe. He was going to have to show her how he felt before he could tell her.

  Their dinner showed up and Effie was grateful for the distraction. They both laughed when their meals of lasagna and stuffed manicotti showed up looking identical. Bubbling cheese covering marinara and a mystery pasta underneath.

  The rest of their dinner was lighter conversation. Effie told him what she could about the town, and he told her of his bigger plans for the vineyard. They talked about his sister again and the family she had married into. Sound liked a crazy bunch of loggers living out in the woods to Effie.

  After dinner, Dax asked her to go for a walk.

  “Hmm, not exactly walking shoes, Mr. Hayes,” she quipped, looking down at her feet.

  “I could carry you,” he offered.

  “Not happening, superman,” she laughed.

  “Okay, then what would you like to do?” he asked, offering her an arm to walk to his car.

  Chewing her lip for a moment Effie decided to test the waters a bit. “Well, I was thinking of getting a new tattoo. Since my latest client seems happy with my work, and I’m assuming he’s going to pay me for it, we can go to my tattoo parlor.”

  Dax was opening her door when he stopped, “You want a tattoo? Tonight?” He seemed a little shocked.

  “Yes, tonight. I’ve already picked it out, and I know the guys at the shop. I’m sure they could fit me in. It will probably only take about an hour, it’s only one color,” she said, giving her eyes an exaggerated bat.

  “Wow, that’s going to get you whatever you want, sweetness,” Dax laughed at her comical flitting eyelashes.

  “Good to know,” Effie said with a smirk while sliding into the car.

  Chapter 15

  They drove to the shop, Effie pointing out the small town’s fascinating points of interest. Edna’s yarn shop, the four different second hand stores, and the one grocery store in town. Dax listened and commented as they drove. He hadn’t really even ventured into town, he’d been so busy. Pulling into the parking lot Effie was glad Cass was working that evening. No better time than the present to introduce both of them.

  Walking in, Effie called out a greeting to everyone.

  “Hmm, fresh meat,” Cass offered as her hello. She was eyeing Dax up and down.

  “Down tramp,” Effie snickered, “This is my client, Dax Hayes. You remember I had a meeting today?” Effie gave her the high eyebrows.

  “What? Can’t a girl ogle? I’m Cassidy Balmer, nice to meet ya. And if I recall that meeting was earlier today. What on earth could you two crazy kids have been up to all this time? Hmmm, it’s a mystery,” Cass taunted.

  “Yes it is a mystery, so keep your Scooby nose out of it. Spike, have any room open?” she asked, looking over the counter to the appointment book.

  Cassie snatched it up and held it to her chest. “That depends, for you or Mr. Fancy Pants there?”

  Dax looked down at his pants, “Fancy?” he asked Effie.

  “She’s being catty, don’t listen to her. And you know good and well it’s for me.” Effie said, giving her the hairy eyeball.

  “Fine, yes your majesty. Spike is free after this appointment.” Cass gave a dramatic sigh and made a big show of penciling in Effie’s name.

  Turning to Dax, Effie asked wickedly, “Wanna watch?”

  Hearing the buzz of needles and seeing the blood on the shoulder of a guy in the distance had Dax’s cat antsy. “I’ll think I’ll sit out here and keep your BFF company,” he offered graciously.

  “Ohh goody, show and tell!” Cass yelled, coming from behind the counter to grab Dax and pull him to the sofa.

  Oh, God, Cass was going to ruin the best relationship Effie had ever had. It didn’t matter she’d only been in it about six hours, it was still the healthiest one by far.

  “Cassie, be nice. Don’t ask inappropriate questions. Don’t ask about money, piercings or former relationships,” Effie warned.

  “Then what else is there!” Cass whined.

  “You’ll think of something,” Effie gave her another hard glare.

  She could hear Cass mumbling under her breath. Something about not fair and no fun.

  “We’ll be fine, Effie. I’m a big boy and think I can handle your pint size best friend,” Dax encouraged.

  “Pint sized! I’ll have you know I’m five-foot-five in these shoes!”

  That was the last Effie heard as she made her way to the back as Spike gestured that she was up next.

  Getting comfortable in the chair and taking a few deep breaths, Effie found her zen place. It was the one that she was always seeking when she was stressed or scared, but could never find. Here sitting in the tattoo shop with a needle poking into her skin was like a sedative. Her endorphins were rolling through her and she was happily floating on the wave.

  Her brain wanted to decipher every detail of her day with Dax. But for some reason her heart was telling her brain to let it go. It had been nice, easy, frighteningly easy actually. Normally Effie was so worried about what people thought of her that she tried too hard and put up her brick wall, don’t give a crap attitude. With Dax, she didn’t feel the need. It was clear that he saw her for who she was, not who she was trying to be. Plus he didn’t push, didn’t dig. It was like his acceptance of her was forming quiet cracks in her armor. She felt good, calm, settled.

  An hour passed and before she knew it, Spike was nudging her out of her stupor saying he was done. Effie sat up and took the mirror Spike handed her. Turning away from the mirror she looked over her shoulder. The paw print was all black, the skin surrounding it red and inflamed. It was only one color
but Spike was a master at shadowing. The paw print appeared three dimensional. The claws looked like they were digging into her skin without tearing through it. It was awesome.

  Cassie poked her head around the corner, “Is it done?”

  She came skipping over and started immediately ooohing and ahhing over it. Giving Spike a high-five, Cass seemed to approve.

  Dax was following behind her but stopped when his eyes zeroed in on her back. His brows furrowed and he looked shocked at first, then a little angry maybe? Or confused? Effie was having a hard time reading the different emotions skipping across his features.

  When he didn’t say anything Effie broke his stare by explaining, “I thought a commemorative tattoo of Tiger Mountain Winery would be appropriate. Get it?” She felt silly all of a sudden. What if he thought she was a crazy lady that was clinging to a client. Effie hadn’t considered that angle. Just that she’d be able to look at it and remember her first big account.

  “You don’t like it?” she asked quietly.

  Hearing the tremor in her voice, Dax’s eyes shot to hers and immediately softened. He was floored when he saw the paw on her shoulder. His cougar and him were both trying to come to terms with her sporting a brand of a big cat on her back. Clearly Effie had no idea, but to his cat and him, it was a sign. He didn’t want her to think he didn’t like it. He was just overwhelmed by the significance of it.

  “I like it a lot Effie,” he said honestly. Walking up to her, he cupped her cheek and kissed her softly. Not caring who was watching them.

  “Damn…”

  Effie heard Cass whisper behind them.

  “All right love birds, let me get this cleaned up and covered then you’re free to go,” Spike declared.

  After she was bandaged and taped up, Dax said goodnight to Cass and shook Spike’s hand. He led Effie to his car and before opening her door, he pushed her against it and kissed her hard and deep.