by Moxie North
Convincing a human that first, shifters existed and second, they were fated for one mate in their lifetime was not something his parents covered in their birds and bees talk.
He needed advice, he had to find Cage.
“No, of course, it’s no trouble. I’ll take you back to your car if you’re ready,” he said, standing and offering her his hand.
Luckily for him she took it as she stood and his bear rumbled his approval. He liked her touch, it calmed the beast.
Wyatt strode towards the door and held it open, gesturing for her to go through first. This also allowed him to use his hand at the small of her back to guide her down the short steps of the trailer. His bear liked that too. His pinkie finger brushed over the top of her curvy ass. He had to look ahead so he wouldn’t stare down at it.
Walking out to his truck he saw Cage leaving the office. Sensing his brother, Cage looked over at Wyatt and started towards them. Wyatt shook his head and his jaw hardened at his brother. He hoped he read his look right. Now was not a good time to approach him with Jinger so close.
Shock tore over Cage’s face. He clearly got the message. Then a wicked looking smile spread across his face. Damn him, Wyatt thought as he saw Cage turn and head back into the office. He knew one hundred percent that Cage was calling their mother Connie. Ten minutes after that every family member with a telephone would know Wyatt had found his mate.
Chapter 6
Wyatt managed to drive Jinger back to her car without any incident. She sat quietly in the passenger seat looking out at the trees passing by.
“I had a nice time today. Well, after the whole complaint and review portion of course,” Wyatt tried to break the quiet.
“Hmm, I did too. I rarely get to spend time out of the office. Not that I usually like leaving my comfy climate controlled environment. But today was nice. Thank you, Wyatt,” she said giving him a shy smile.
“You’re welcome, Jinger,” Wyatt said in a low voice.
Jinger tingled when he said her name. It was almost like a caress, she really needed to get out more if this was all it took now to give her a tickle.
Pulling up to her car, the crew had packed up and moved down the road. Jinger could see them just off in the distance, continuing the road project.
Wyatt got out when she did and walked her to her car. Opening the door, Jinger held out her hand for a professional handshake and Wyatt took it, but didn’t shake it. He turned her hand palm down and ran his thumb over the back in a slow caress.
Clearing his throat, he said, “If you change your mind about that coffee, you have my number.” Wyatt was still looking at her hand. Memorizing the soft pale skin, letting his thumb stir the air with her scent.
“Thank you again for the offer. It’s very flattering, Wyatt.” Jinger answered, not giving him any hope she was going to change her mind.
Wyatt stared down and then finally let go of her hand, much to the dismay of his bear. Jinger got in and Wyatt pulled the seatbelt out for her and handed it to her. She buckled in and smiled up at him, waiting for him to move out of the door. When he did she closed the door and turned over the engine. She really needed a drink.
She slowly pulled out and headed back down the dirt road. Wyatt hopped into his truck and followed her until she was back to the interstate. He had to, at least, make sure she didn’t have any issues out in the woods where there was little cell reception and it took a while for medical services to respond.
Wyatt watched her tail lights fade into the distance and with a sigh pointed the truck back to the camp.
He pulled in and saw that Cage’s truck was still in the parking lot along with Conner’s. He thanked his lucky stars neither of his parents’ cars were there.
Pulling open the office door, he found Cage sitting at his desk with Conner taking up one of the two chairs on the opposite side.
Wyatt fell into the empty one and leaned forward dropping his face into his hands. His brothers didn’t say anything for a while. Then Wyatt heard Cage’s desk drawer open and felt Conner get up and walk to the coffee station.
Glancing up he saw his big brother had somehow managed to procure a bottle of whiskey and his little brother had tossed three paper cups onto the desk. Cage poured a measure into each cup and raised it in a toast to Wyatt.
“Apparently lightning strikes twice,” he offered then took a drink.
“Shit,” Wyatt said and drank.
“I hope this isn’t going around. I’m too young for this shit,” Conner declared and drank his whiskey with a sputter. He was only forty-five for pete’s sake, still a cub.
“Oh, it seems the fates have grand plans for our family, little brother. I wouldn’t be surprised if your mate didn’t come knocking tomorrow,” Cage said with a gleeful smile.
“You didn’t call mom did you?” Wyatt asked with a growl. The whiskey was burning down his throat but the warmth seeping into his veins wasn’t all that bad.
“Hell yes, I did, you little bastard. You sicced them on me when my mate was in the hospital for Christ’s sake. You think I wouldn’t do the same to you?”
“Yeah well, I don’t think my mate even likes me,” Wyatt muttered into his cup.
“Oh, did poor little Wyatt strike out?” Conner taunted.
“Shut your pie hole, runt,” Wyatt said taking a mock swing at Conner. This just made Conner break out in gleeful laughter.
“She doesn’t seem to find me the least bit interesting. I asked to see her again and she shot me down. My bear is not happy and neither am I,” he said tossing his empty cup at Cage for a refill.
Cage offered the cup back and then propped his feet on his desk. He seemed to be contemplating some grand declaration. After a few minutes where Conner kept laughing and looking between the two of them, Cage cleared his throat.
“Go get her.”
“Really, after all of that, that is your advice?” Wyatt said with exasperation.
“Yup, go get her. You have to convince her that you really like her. That you want to see her and then don’t let her push you away. The more time you spend with her, the more she will feel the pull to you. It’s there, she just may not understand it yet. Drop in on her at work, bring her flowers, woo her,” Cage said like it was obvious.
“Easy for you to say, Sophie was incapacitated when you were ‘wooing’ her. She was drugged and unable to resist your feeble attempts at charm,” Wyatt smarted back.
“Worked, didn’t it? I have a beautiful mate, who is going to be my wife and I’m getting it good every night. I know you haven’t dated in years. It was getting old for you just like it did with me. It wasn’t enough, and your bear wasn’t going to settle.”
Dropping his head back, Wyatt stared at the ceiling. Pursue her, woo her, and hopefully, if the fates allowed, bed her.
As soon as Wyatt came to his decision to take his simpleton brother’s advice a pair of headlights flashed through the window from outside. It was just about twilight and most of the crew had settled in for the night. That could mean only one thing.
His parents.
“My baby!” Connie Rochon cried out as she entered the office, Wyatt’s father in tow behind.
“Hey, I thought I was your baby!” Conner whined.
“Oh hush you, your brother has found his mate! I’m gonna be a grandmomma!”
This declaration made Cage burst out laughing.
“Hey, she’s expecting them from you first, numbnuts,” Wyatt threw out at him.
“Yeah, but the look on your face is priceless! I want cubs, so does Sophie, so it’s inevitable. You can’t even get a date with your mate,” Cage said still laughing.
Edward Rochon walked behind his oldest son and cuffed him upside the head. “Be nice.”
“Hey! He thought me finding my mate was hysterical. It’s his turn to be tormented,” Cage defended himself.
“He didn’t think it was hysterical. In fact, he was very excited when he called us when you found her. You should be
nicer to your brother, he’s clearly still in shock,” his mother tsked as she smoothed Wyatt’s hair back. Wyatt resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at his older brother.
“Tell me all about her. Who is she? What does she look like? When are you seeing her again?” his mother asked.
“Her name is Jinger McCann, she’s a wildfire analyst for the state. She has dark red hair and is beautiful. She’s saucy but sweet at the same time and I have no idea when I’m seeing her again,” he finished.
“Why not? Invite her over for dinner. It’s not that hard,” his mother said, placing her hands on her hips.
“As I told Cage, she’s not incapacitated by drugs like Sophie was. I did ask her out and she refused,” Wyatt explained.
His mother looked pensive for a minute then a bright smile graced her face. “Well then, go get her.”
Cage looked at Wyatt and broke out into another round of guffawing laughter. Conner followed suit and their mother looked at them like they were a deranged bunch of hyenas.
Managing to bring his laughter down to a snicker, Conner explained, “Those were Cage’s words exactly, mother dearest. Go get her.”
“Well, it’s sound advice, son,” his father said, having taken up position leaning on the wall behind Cage.
“Yes, yes, go get her. Convince her she’s my One and live happily ever after. I’ll get right on it,” Wyatt mumbled into his paper cup.
“Wyatt Gregory Rochon, this is your mate we’re talking about. You should be willing to move mountains to get to her.” His mother scolded him.
“Mom, I don’t think she likes me that way,” Wyatt said dejectedly.
“Then you need to convince her and pronto. You move fast enough and we can have a double wedding!” She clapped her hands together like it was the most brilliant idea ever. Wyatt’s father had the good grace to at least groan at his wife’s decree.
Standing, Wyatt set his paper cup down on the desk, and gave his mom a hug. “Mom, I have to figure this out on my own. But I’m sure Cage will keep you updated on any and all advancements I may have on the mate front.”
“I’m here for ya, bro!” Cage saluted with his cup.
Giving a chin lift to his dad, Wyatt strode out into the crisp night air. He wasn’t ready to head home yet. His bear needed out and he needed to clear his head. Walking behind the trailer, he strode down a long ravine that no one ever ventured into because it was steep and difficult to traverse. Easy goings for his bear, though.
After securing his clothing, Wyatt let his bear roll out through his skin. As his eyes opened he felt his bear’s happiness at being out but his frustration that their mate wasn’t close by. He knew how he felt. Already he felt her absence. Her scent was gone, even though Wyatt hadn’t washed his hands yet since he last touched her.
Letting his bear take the lead they rambled off into the brush.
An hour or so later, Wyatt made his way back to his clothes, promising his bear he’d get his brothers together soon to go fishing, he pushed his mind forward letting his bear recede. After pulling on his clothes he headed back to his truck to see his family had left for the night. He knew his brothers knew where he was, but they gave him the space he so clearly needed.
Driving back to his cabin that was located on the property his family owned, he was close enough to Conner’s cabin to see the lights were still on. He wasn’t in the mood for company so he headed into his house and flicked on the lights as he went. Realizing he was hungry from not eating his lunch he pulled open his fridge and saw a takeout container sitting on the shelf. Pulling it out he saw a sticky note on top that said, Thought you might be hungry, Sophie.
Cage was a lucky fucker, Wyatt thought. And so was he tonight, considering the container was full of enchiladas and rice. Tossing it into the microwave he hit the bathroom for a quick shower.
Grabbing his food from the microwave he plopped down on his couch and contemplated his life as he chewed.
He had found The One. She was beautiful, sure. But he didn’t know anything else about her. Realizing this was the modern age, Wyatt threw the takeout box on the table and grabbed his laptop from his office.
It might be cliché, but he figured Googling a prospective partner was not unheard of.
Typing in her name he found the state website that had a very generic picture of her against a blue backdrop. Probably for her security badge. It gave her contact information, phone, email, and the address of the building she worked in.
Going back to the search results, he found a few articles from her time at the University of Washington. Some research papers she had worked on for her degree. She had very little on social media, and what he did find was locked down from random eyes.
That had to be a good sign. Clearly not a party girl who liked to post her exploits online. But it also hardly gave him any information about her at all. Who was she?
Wyatt hatched a plan, tomorrow morning he was starting Operation: Woo Jinger. And it was starting with coffee and donuts.
Chapter 7
Jinger had not slept well. In fact, she slept awful, when she was finally able to go to sleep that was. First, she avoided two voice messages from her mother who seemed to have some sixth-sense when she was in an emotional upheaval. And then she tried to self-medicate with jalapeño poppers, which although delicious, was a perfect recipe for heartburn. A few antacids later she fell into a fitful sleep where she dreamed about green eyes and brown hair and big glorious muscles.
Her traitorous brain also managed to construe just what Wyatt Rochon looked like naked. And if real life was even close to her imagination she knew without a doubt this man was out of her league.
She woke up cranky and feeling quite depressed. Jinger knew she needed to push Wyatt out of her head and focus on her work. She would probably never see him again anyway. It’s not like they ran in the same circles.
Once she was at work she settled into her desk and tried to show a modicum of enthusiasm while she looked through her emails. Her phone buzzed from the front desk. “Jinger, there is someone here to see you. I hope you don’t mind but I sent him back to your desk.”
“Sure, that’s fine, Mary,” Jinger said disinterestedly. She probably forgot she had an appointment. She was pulling up her calendar when she felt a presence behind her. Spinning around, she had to crane her neck back to see who had just invaded her cubicle.
Wyatt Rochon.
Wyatt Rochon was standing in her cubicle sporting a hunky smile and jeans that were altogether too tight and way too close to her face. In his hands were a pink pastry box and a drink carrier holding two cups of coffee with all the fixings spread around them.
“Good morning, Gingersnap,” he said cockily.
“Uh, Wyatt. What are you doing here? Did we have an appointment?” She really was not prepared to deal with him this morning. Because, of course, now her brain was replaying all the naughtiness it had thought up last night and she could feel the blush steal across her cheeks.
Gawd, this was not happening, she thought.
“I figured, the reason you turned down my offer for coffee, was because I forgot the most important part. Donuts! See, if I had sweetened the deal with them in the first place you would have, of course, said yes. So, since it was my fault because I wasn’t clear, I figured I would rectify the situation by dropping by with breakfast. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind sharing them with me?” Dropping the box on the desk, he sat in the available side chair .
Jinger saw the sticker on the top of the box that said Sasquatch Donuts. Those were best, fresh, extra sugary, and perfect with coffee.
“How do you take it?”
Still sputtering she said, “Take what?”
“Your coffee. Black? Cream and sugar?”
“Oh, cream and two sugars,” she managed.
“Should have known,” he said smiling and setting down the coffees to pop the tops off and add her sugar and creamer.
“Known what?”
; “You like it sweet,” he teased, flashing that gorgeous grin at her again.
“Umm…” that was all she could manage. She must be hallucinating. She could see her coworkers popping up over their cubicle walls like a bunch of nosy meerkats trying to catch a glimpse of whoever was attached to that stunning voice. And his voice was like honey, smooth and way too tempting.
“I take mine with three sugars in case you’re interested. I also like it sweet,” he said, adding the packets to his own coffee. He handed Jinger her cup and then flipped open the top of the pastry box. “You pick first, I didn’t know what you like so I got a mix.”
“I’m not really hungry,” she said remembering she’d already snarfed down a plate of enchiladas in front of him. She wasn’t about to reveal her horrific donut addiction too. She should be in a twelve step group for donut junkies. She loved them, all of them. It was so bad, she refused to even buy them. Not even one, because she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop.
“Now, Gingersnap, I know you’re fibbing. Even if you weren’t hungry, you wouldn’t really make me sit here all by myself when I personally picked out each of these little gems as I thought of you. I found the prettiest ones they sold hoping you’d like them,” he said, sticking his lower lip out in an exaggerated pout.
Jinger couldn’t help but laugh at the puppy dog expression he was giving her. He was cute even pouting like a preschooler.
“Fine, is there a maple bar in there?” She figured one donut was manageable, she knew she wouldn’t lose her cool in front of him and hork down the whole box. She hoped.
“Why yes there is, Ms. McCann, there is even one with bacon on it” he said pointing to the box. Jinger grabbed the donut and took a tiny bite. Heaven.
Wyatt grabbed a bavarian cream and took an enormous bite, white cream squirting out the sides and clinging to the corners of his mouth. Jinger watched as Wyatt closed his eyes and moaned around the bite in his mouth.
Dear god, that was sexy.
“Uh, Wyatt,” she said gesturing to the corners of his mouth.
