by Rayna Tyler
“No problem.”
“I guess I’ll see you later, then.” Berkley turned and walked with Preston back to her truck. After giving him another passionate kiss, she smiled at me and waved, then got into the vehicle and drove off.
A few choice curse words filtered through my mind, along with the urge to grab a handful of my friend’s hair and yank it the next time I saw her. Heading into the forest and shifting so I could get back to the lodge before she did was a tempting idea. One I might have considered if I wasn’t worried about losing my favorite camera. At least it was the excuse I told myself.
“Where would you like to start?” I slipped my hand away from Reese, then unzipped my bag.
“Are you talking about taking pictures?” He raised a curious brow, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Yes,” I hissed, after realizing he was purposely misconstruing what I’d said into a sexual innuendo.
He chuckled. “If you’re sure, then we can start over here.” He led me to the other side of what would eventually be the completed cabin.
I walked around snapping shots of the workers and the partially framed building from different angles. The surrounding forest provided a colorful backdrop. After snapping twenty or so pictures, I was satisfied I had enough images for Berkley to review.
While I inspected my handiwork in the camera’s viewing screen, Reese walked up behind me and hovered over my shoulder. “Those are really good.”
“I think Berkley will be pleased.” All I had to do was lean back slightly and we’d be touching, an enticing prospect my cat agreed with, but one I struggled to resist. I snapped the cap over the lens, then slipped the camera back into the bag before turning to face him. “Do you suppose you could take me...” Reese was standing closer than I’d expected. Close enough to inhale his alluring scent. Close enough to kiss.
I realized what I’d said sounded like an invitation and quickly added, “To the lodge. I’d like to go back to the lodge.” My precocious cat was urging me to include his room in my specifications. Luckily, the arrival of a male I’d never seen before saved me from blurting out my animal’s request.
“Hey, Reese, I’ve got the information on the new lumber you requested.” The guy waving a manila envelope as he strolled toward us was tall, with an outdoorsy appearance and scented of wolf. He possessed a cocky grin and walked with a confident stride, a male who was definitely sure of himself. He didn’t bother to mask the lustful glint in his dark eyes. A look that said he was used to females hanging all over him and promised wonderful things if I agreed to be alone with him.
Too bad I’d never been one of those females. I didn’t swoon and wasn’t easily charmed. I had an overbearing alpha for a father who made sure I knew what young male shifters had on their minds. I’d grown up fast, my starry-eyed teenage-girl phase lasting all of a minute.
Most of the guys on base were too afraid of the colonel to ask me out. If not for my independent nature and ability to sneak out of the house like a pro, I never would have seen the inside of a bar or gotten a date.
“Reese, who’s your friend?” the male asked, his gaze never leaving mine.
Reese took the envelope he’d been handed, then pressed his palm against my lower back. “Jac, this is Shane Davis. He’s the foreman for West Mountain Construction and is in charge of running the sites.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, though I was certain I didn’t mean it. I couldn’t tell if the tension pulsing from Reese’s fingertips was because he didn’t like the male or if his reaction fell into the protective mate category. A single touch from another male could be problematic and lead to bloodshed. Just in case it was the latter, I refused to shake Shane’s extended hand.
“Same here. And if you ever need a job, you can work on my crew anytime.” Shane hooked his thumbs in the front pockets of his worn jeans.
I wasn’t impressed by his crude attempt at charm or the way his eyes lingered on my midsection, then moved upward and settled on my breasts. The slow perusal made my skin itch, and not in a good way. I’d dealt with guys like him my entire life. Shifters who had more arrogance in their little finger than they had brain cells in their head. Of course, once I let out my cat’s claws and demonstrated how well she could flex her paws on their male parts, they made sure never to make the same mistake again.
Before I had a chance to voice my smartassed reply, Reese grabbed a fist full of Shane’s shirt. “Jac’s my mate. If you don’t want to lose any parts, you’ll refrain from making any more insulting comments.” Reese released his shirt and gave him a shove. “And keep your wandering eyes to yourself.”
Reese was an intimidating force when he was riled, and my stupid cat was getting turned on by his behavior. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t the only one who was aroused.
Shane clenched his fists. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d back down from a fight, even if the argument was over someone else’s mate, so I was surprised when he said, “Sorry, Reese. I was only having some fun, didn’t mean anything by it. I didn’t scent a male on her, so I thought she was available.”
“Well, she’s not,” Reese growled. If he ground his teeth any tighter, he was going to crack his molars.
Shane had no idea his comment had struck a nerve and reminded Reese that I’d recently spurned him. It was the worst thing he could have said, and if I didn’t act quickly, Shane was going to end up injured.
“Damn it, Reese.” I grabbed his wrist and tugged. He was big and strong. There was no way I could make him budge, not unless it was his idea to move. Thankfully, he let me drag him away from Shane and the other workers.
By the time we were alone and surrounded by trees, I was furious. I jabbed Reese’s chest with my finger. “What part of ‘we agreed we weren’t going to do the mate thing, talk about the mate thing, or do anything else regarding the mate thing’ didn’t you understand?”
“I...but he...” Reese scrubbed his hand roughly through his hair, pausing to take a breath. After a few more deep inhales, he showed signs of calming. When he opened his mouth, I was sure he was going to apologize. Instead, he gave me a lopsided grin and said, “I never agreed to anything.”
Chapter Seven
JAC
You’d think with all the moving around I’d done as a kid, relocating from one base to another, that I’d easily adjust to new surroundings. It didn’t matter where I traveled, I found it hard to sleep the first couple of nights in a new place. It didn’t help that all I could think about was Reese’s parting words at the construction site before he’d left me in Preston’s care, then disappeared. Or that while I lay in bed punching my pillow because I couldn’t sleep, I’d gotten even more frustrated when I heard him enter his room.
It was nearing midnight, I was restless, and my cat had been clawing at me all day to investigate the forest. I tossed aside the blankets and got out of bed, then headed for the patio. I hadn’t heard any noises outside my room and assumed that everyone in this part of the lodge was asleep. Shifters had great hearing, and I didn’t want to be responsible for ruining someone else’s restful slumber, so I quietly eased the door open and slipped outside.
The three-quarter moon I’d seen earlier in the evening was hidden behind a cluster of clouds. Not that I needed the additional natural light; my cat had great vision in the dark. A gentle breeze wafted in my direction, and for a brief moment, I thought I detected Reese’s scent.
Realistically, it was impossible because I hadn’t heard any noises coming from his side of our shared bedroom wall for the past hour. The logical part of my brain was quick to point out that this was his home and his scent was all over the place. What I was smelling had to be his residual odor.
Even so, I glanced in the direction of his room, noting that the lights were off. Shadows darkened the area beyond the privacy wall separating our decks.
I wasn’t going to let my imagination stop me from taking a much needed run and exploring the area without any supervision. I re
moved my nightgown and panties, leaving them where they fell. With one last glance around the area to make sure I was alone, I hopped off the deck and ran into the forest. Once I was surrounded by trees, I let the transformation wash over me. I heard the familiar snap as bones realigned and fur sprouted all over my body.
It felt good to run, to tear up the ground with my paws. My last photo assignment had lasted two weeks and kept me in a city without any access to a decent, yet private place to allow my animal side some freedom. My cat suffered more from the confining strain than I did, so for the first twenty minutes after transforming, I let her have control to do whatever she wanted. She started by flexing her claws on the trunk of an ash tree, moved on to sniffing the ground, then batted some wildflowers until she caught the scent of a rabbit.
I wasn’t sure how long she chased the furry creature through the underbrush. It was more of a playful pursuit than an actual hunt, and ended abruptly when the rabbit found a hole and burrowed deep inside.
By the time I’d worked off my anxiety and the silly feline was done playing, I was exhausted. I knew if I returned to my room, I’d start thinking about Reese again, about how he was on the other side of the wall, and the wicked things I shouldn’t be thinking about doing to him if he was in my bed.
I figured spending the night sleeping in the forest was way better than taking my frustration out on my pillow over a situation I’d created. This wasn’t the first time I’d opted for a bed made of rough bark. Not all my work centered on weddings and social gatherings. I’d had clients who wanted nature shots, which sometimes required traveling to uninhabited areas. Taking photos of animals in their natural setting required patience and staying downwind. Some of the best pictures I’d taken were from a distance and from treetop level.
I scanned the nearby trees and found one with a nice thick branch about twenty feet off the ground. A quick jump followed by a shimmy later and I was comfortably sprawled and prepared to take a nice snooze. I’d barely shut my eyes when I thought I heard a twig snap. Though some of the forest’s smaller animals were nocturnal and didn’t pose a threat, it never hurt to stay alert. My cat was a natural predator, and when more twigs snapped, the sound getting closer, I perked an ear to listen.
It wasn’t long before the crunching stopped and the intoxicating scent of a male wolf, one I’d recognize anywhere, reached my nostrils.
I opened my eyes and glanced at the ground beneath me. Not only was Reese standing close to the tree looking perplexed, he was carrying my nightgown and underwear.
Unbelievable.
My irritation at being followed far outweighed my cat’s desire to rub all over him. When Berkley told me her brother’s stubborn streak was worse than hers, I thought she’d been teasing. I should have known the persistent male would have the audacity to ignore my wishes.
Well, destined mate or not, he was about to get a firsthand taste of my kitty’s claws.
REESE
I sat on the foot of my bed and tipped my head from side to side, listening for the pop as I stretched the tight muscles. It had been an aggravating and stressful day, and it was late in the evening by the time I reached my room. I couldn’t believe how close I’d come to losing control of my wolf. If Jac hadn’t dragged me into the forest, things between Shane and me could have ended badly. The need to protect and keep her away from the unmated male had been overwhelming.
I didn’t want to give her something else to add to her list of incompatibilities and sent her home with Preston. Once she was gone, Bryson and I had visited the other sites and occupied our time by doing a little investigating. By randomly questioning some of the workers, we’d learned that tools had also been disappearing from all three sites over the last few weeks.
Before making the resort his home, Nick had lived in numerous places, never settling in one place very long. He’d worked for several different construction companies and said it wasn’t uncommon to have tools go missing.
Tools was one thing, a large load of expensive lumber being taken was another. Having the two things happen simultaneously might not be a coincidence. So far the cost to replace what was taken was minor, but if it continued, the financial ramifications to the resort could be devastating. I was afraid Preston’s theory about someone we knew being the culprit held a lot of merit. It left me with the troubling question of why, and was it someone who wanted to hurt my family.
Contemplating the recent thefts wasn’t the real issue twisting my gut into hundreds of tiny knots. It was finding my mate, then being rejected by her without having a say in the matter.
I rose from the bed, grabbed a beer from the mini fridge I’d installed in the corner next to the dresser, then walked outside onto my private deck. This was one of those times when I wanted a break from being in charge and needed solitude without any interruptions. I settled into a cushioned lounger, my thoughts returning to Jac.
I didn’t really know the female, yet I couldn’t shake the ache from wanting to be near her that I’d been experiencing from the moment we’d touched. My wolf was even worse. His constant growling and pacing was unnerving, and no amount of alcohol was going to dull our overwhelming desire to be with our mate.
I’d finished half the beer and had the bottle raised to my lips to take another swig when I heard the glass door leading from Jac’s room to her patio slide open. Shadows hid the chair where I sat. If I didn’t move and controlled my breathing, there was a good chance she wouldn’t know I was here. I’d expected her to take a seat in one of the chairs or perch on the railing as I’d seen her do earlier. I hadn’t expected her to strip, discard her clothes haphazardly, then give me a glimpse of her glorious body. A glimpse that lasted less than a minute but long enough to give me an uncomfortable erection.
She had to be going for a run. It was the only reason I could think of that she’d be heading into the forest naked. She’d dashed into the woods so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to see her cat or determine her breed. Not that it mattered, because I was good at tracking. Maybe not as good as Nick, but what I lacked in skill, I made up for in determination. And right now, I was determined to learn everything I could about my mate and had every intention of following her.
I grinned, exhilarated by the thought of a chase. I set my bottle on the railing and walked over to her deck. After gathering her nightgown and black satin panties, which I took a moment to scent, I followed her into the forest.
After five minutes of tracking her cat’s erratic trail, it was evident Jac didn’t have a particular destination in mind. I made sure to give her plenty of space and stay downwind so she didn’t get a whiff of my scent. Trailing after her was amusing and the most relaxed I’d felt all day.
A short time later, her scent got stronger near a copse of massive trees. It was as if she had stopped, then disappeared. I strained to listen, to see if I could detect any sign of movement, but heard nothing.
It hadn’t occurred to me that she’d climbed a tree, not until I heard the low warning growl coming from above my head.
“Jac, wait.” I barely had time to drop her clothes and hold up my hands before she leaped from the branch. She was twice the size of a domestic cat, with cream-colored fur covered in black spots and dark stripes. Her large paws hit my chest with enough force to knock me backward. I lost my balance, tripped, and landed on the ground on my back.
She shifted during the process, and I ended up with her straddling my waist. I would’ve been happy to let her sit there as long as she wanted, but while I gasped to replace the air she’d knocked out of my lungs, she rolled to the side and sprang to her feet.
She snatched her nightgown off the ground and tugged it over her head, glaring at me the whole time. “One wisecrack about my cat, or anything else, and I’ll leave claw marks in places that will make sitting uncomfortable.”
I had no idea what she was talking about unless she was referring to the fact that she was a hybrid. From what I’d seen before she pounced, she was an ocelo
t, or at least a mixed version of one. Her ears belonged to a larger wild cat, possibly a jaguar, and her fluffy tail definitely belonged to a house cat. It explained why I hadn’t been able to determine her breed.
Hybrids were rare. The majority of mated shifter couples produced offspring that took after the father. I wondered if someone had treated her badly, if that was the reason she seemed embarrassed and defensive about her mixed animal. I didn’t care if her cat was unusual. I thought she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen and would kill to see more of her cat.
I pushed off the ground and dusted the dirt off the back of my pants. “Jac, I...”
“I mean it, Reese. Not one word,” she snapped.
Much to my disappointment, she bent over and made sure her ass was covered while she pulled on her panties.
She smoothed out her gown, then glared at me. “Why are you following me?”
Showing up with her clothes made it impossible to tell her I’d simply been out for a walk. I scrambled for a reason and looking out for her safety was the best I could come up with. “Did Berkley tell you what happened to Mandy last year, about the abduction?”
“I vaguely remember her mentioning something about it. Why?”
“It’s the reason we have all the security. We wanted to make sure all our employees and guests are safe.” I was telling the truth, and so far, my story sounded plausible.
She crossed her arms and scowled. “Are you saying you followed me to make sure nothing happened to me?”
“Yes.” I hoped my smile appeared sincere.
“I see.”
What does she see? All I’d done was agree with her, so why did I feel like I’d lost control of the situation?
“You’re saying you decided to bring me my nightgown, and my underwear, because of the chivalrous notion that I needed to be protected. Not because you saw me leave my room, then lurked in the shadows without saying a word so you could watch me strip.”
