by Vivian Arend
He stood fully clothed under the shower, his head resting against the tiles. “Yes?”
Okay, that was a little strange. She supposed that was one way to get the wrinkles out of slept-in clothing. “Umm, when you’re done. No rush.”
She tiptoed out, trying not to disturb him.
After all, he’d had a hard night.
Mark was going to die. No, dying would be the simple solution. A lack of oxygen to his body would mean blood would stop rushing through his veins. It would mean his cock would stop turning into a heat-seeking missile as far as Tessa was concerned.
He’d been so careful last night, maintaining boundaries that would give her space. And this morning, trying to act normal, like he would around any other shifter he wasn’t itching to get intimate with.
The whole shifter lack of shyness had backfired in a big way. He now knew from a very up-close-and-personal glance the following details: his mate was a natural blonde. She had freckles. She was more than a mouthful.
He turned the water temperature down a notch hoping to quench a few of the internal fires, but it was little use. He was hard. Capital H hard and staying that way.
The only way to survive this crazy situation was going to be exhausting labour. If he was too tired to get it up, he might endure the coming weeks.
He pulled himself from the shower and dressed, no sign of his adorably hyper cat anywhere. Well, at least not until he walked into his kitchen. The disaster area proved what the earlier cup of coffee had hinted at. If he didn’t want to be poisoned, he needed to ban her from cooking.
Which was fine. He liked to cook. Mark pulled the coffee maker forward and grimaced at the sight of ground fava beans in the hopper. His disgust switched to amusement when he spotted the cereal she’d left for him on the table. Her bowl was used and empty, his all ready for the milk to be poured. What made it extraordinary was she’d folded a napkin into the shape of a swan and left it waiting for him.
Mark ate quickly, threw out the multiple cups of loathsome not coffee liquid and loaded the dishwasher. Then he went looking for his mate.
He found her on the main floor, surrounded by papers. Mark stood silently observing as she skimmed a pencil over the notepad, her fingers flying across the page. She tore off the top piece of paper and added it to a pile on her right.
“You going to stand there all morning?” Tessa smiled at him.
He paced over to stare down at her chaos. “You’ve been busy.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Sorry about the mess upstairs. I’ll clean it up before lunch, but I had an inspiration for the layout down here and wanted to get it on paper before I lost my train of thought.”
Mark resisted making any smart-ass comments about trains running amuck through the house, instead squatting to examine the top page of a pile. The details of the drawing shocked him. “Holy cow, Tessa. Did you do these all this morning?”
She nodded, shifting her weight as she pointed in a circle. “Design plans for main floor and second floor. Slight modifications to the third, just a few things to make it easier for a B&B setup. I hope you don’t mind.”
He was too stunned to be upset. They weren’t just bubble diagrams, with rough “bathroom goes here” type notes, but full-out plans with measurements and everything. Mark shuffled through the fourth pile resting at his feet. “These are furniture designs.”
“For the guest rooms. That stack is for the couple rooms, the next for the dorms. I wanted to see what you thought before planning for family rooms. You want to have kids around the place, or not?”
Mark ignored her question for a moment as he lowered himself to the floor. “How on earth did you do all this so fast?” He gawked at the pages. “Plus, you’re spot-on accurate. You’ve got measurements for the rooms—where are you hiding your measuring tape?”
“It’s built in.” She grinned and tapped her temple. “I can eyeball a room and know the dimensions at a glance. It’s not a very handy skill except when it comes to designing. Or parking… I can parallel park in spaces that would make your hair stand on end.”
Holy shit. He set down the stack and went for the next one, again amazed at the details and simple beauty of what she suggested. “I think your ideas are brilliant. You accomplished enough in an hour to keep me busy for the next four months.”
“I’ll help,” Tessa offered. “I can swing a hammer, and I don’t mind getting dirty.”
Mark exchanged the drawings for her hands, holding her tight. “I’m…impressed. And pleased.”
Tessa beamed. And wiggled.
He examined her more closely, trying to figure out how she was moving in such a strange way. “Tessa, what are you sitting on?”
“A balance board. Gives my body something to concentrate on while I’m doing things with my hands. Keri came up with the idea when we were in college. She’s my bestie. You know her? Of course you do, she mated with Jared in July. I think she said she’d be back in the fall.”
“I’ve met her.” Well, a point in his favour—his mate already had a friend in the pack. “We can meet up with her and Jared, if they’re around. Why don’t you call to find out?”
She shot to her feet, somehow continuing to balance on the tippy wooden plank as she dragged him upright with her. “I’d like that very much. You’re so sweet.”
Mark untangled himself to gather her work piles together. “We’ll do a walk-through on these ideas after you get in touch with them.”
“That would be great. Hey, you never told me what you prefer—family rooms or no?”
He’d been avoiding thinking about it, because the answer was all tangled together in his brain. The image of little kids running through the house led to thinking about their kids someday running through the house. Which led to images of Tessa being pregnant, which backtracked to full-colour, live-action feature-film-quality high-def sex scenes, starring her and him.
Although he was pretty sure porn would have nothing on the actual event. Not with them being mates.
Some time in the last minute he’d moved in closer, again, and when she squirmed on the board, her torso brushed his intimately. Mark swallowed hard. Ignored the instant response of his body. Forced the words out. “Kids are okay.”
Tessa leapt into the air, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He dropped the papers to catch her, hands cradling her ass as she leaned forward until her lips pressed to his. He sucked in her taste like a starving man.
She rested their foreheads together, a contented smile lighting her face. “I think I like you.”
“Well, that’s good.” Nothing was going to distract him from enjoying the temporary warmth of their bodies touching. He added a few more items to the list of what he knew about her. Impulsive, but talented. Athletic.
“I think we can accomplish some great things together,” she announced. “We’ll make an awesome team.”
“A team?” He wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. “More than that, Tessa. We’re mates. Our skills complement each other.”
Her eyes went wide and she nodded slowly. “Cool. And you do like kids.”
“I like you.” It was enough for now.
She didn’t seem to be in a hurry to get away, so he took total advantage and kissed her again. Nibbled on her lower lip as she hummed happily and tangled her fingers in his hair. Her mouth was so soft under his, her wonderful scent whispering through his entire body and somehow increasing his tension even as it satisfied him.
He licked the seam of her lips, and she snuck the tip of her tongue against his. Head rush followed, sensory overload. Mark got lost in the complete rightness that was his mate.
If stolen kisses were all he could get, he’d force the beast inside to accept them. He and Tessa would have forever together. If it took a few more days than usual to start on the journey, well, he had enough patience to make it through.
In the end, it would be worth it.
Mark savoured the kiss, the weight of her in his hands.
The intimate contact between their bodies. He stored up all the sensations in the hopes his wolf wouldn’t rebel and ruin his good intentions.
The beast grumbled, but settled, at least for now.
Chapter Six
By the time dinner had rolled past, Tessa found herself strangely fatigued. She transferred the dirty dishes from the counter into the dishwasher, though, before standing and stretching her lower back.
“Sorry again about the mess I made this morning.” There was no excuse for it. She wasn’t some flighty teenager who needed to be cared for by mommy anymore. Her lack of consideration annoyed her.
She was a capable grown woman. She’d organized and run a cruise ship—and this morning she’d childishly left a disaster behind her?
Tessa straightened from her task and gasped in surprise at how close Mark was. He cupped her face and shook his head. “Stop apologizing. It wasn’t a big deal. We’ve had a great day, very productive, and a few extra dishes have been forgotten. Okay?”
“Sure.” Only guilt remained.
Her eyelids were heavy, and she was dog-tired, although that particular thought made her want to giggle.
His touch remained gentle on her skin. His thumb caressed her cheek as he searched her eyes. “Let’s get some fresh air. Would you like to go for a run?”
Her cat uncoiled like a spring, frantic relief washing her limbs. “Yes, oh, that would be marvelous.”
Mark pushed between her shoulders and directed her toward the bedroom. “Strip and shift. I’ll wait for you at the back door—it’s set up so we can open it in either form.”
“Wait.”
He paused in the middle of turning away.
Tessa wasn’t sure where the confusion inside had come from. Something wasn’t right, but she couldn’t imagine what it was.
“Tessa?”
She forced down the strange sensation and smiled. “Nothing. I’ll meet you at the door in a minute.”
Why did the silence in the room echo as she took off her clothes and set them aside? She glanced around, looking for a clue of what was making her so uneasy. Nothing twigged. Nothing made sense except her cat’s increasing demands for that promised run now.
She walked naked through the kitchen, not wanting to shift in the bedroom. Her cougar curled upward, pushing at her skin, and she stopped at the top of the stairs and gave in. Let the shift come over her, limbs and muscles rearranging as she settled into her other form.
The usual rush of “feels good to shift” that was always a part of the transformation was so diluted she sat on her haunches for a moment in bewilderment.
Now the cat was more in control than the human, and the cougar wanted to keep moving. She slipped down the stairs, ignoring all the things that would have sidetracked her before, instead eager to get to the place she could be free to run.
Run with Mark. Her mate.
Tessa had imagined that thought would piss her cougar off far more than it did. The sight of Mark in full fur might have had something to do with the inner calm. Tessa wished she’d taken the time to examine him before she’d changed skins, because he was a beautiful animal, at least as far as a cat could appreciate a dog.
White muzzle, thick silver fur with black markings. He tipped his head at her before standing on his hind legs to reach the doorknob. The flat lever twisted under his touch, the door swung open, and he waited for her to slip out ahead of him.
He nudged the door closed with his forehead, then while she was getting her bearings, he brushed past her shoulder and took off.
The chase had begun.
Directly behind the paddle wheeler, they met wilderness. The back-fence line met the trees, so once they stepped over that point there was nothing but rolling foothills. Narrow but well-worn paths led through the underbrush, and Mark leapt from one to the next, always guiding them upward. The heat of day faded to be replaced by the cooler air clinging to the earth, trickling down from the heights.
Tessa pushed herself to catch him, the demand on her muscles finally surpassing the strange malaise that had waylaid her. Blood pumped, and her mind calmed, as if all the excess ideas flitting through her brain were used up in the mechanics of paws hitting the dirt.
He vanished from sight around a corner, and she put on a burst of speed to close the gap between them. She flew into a clearing and found herself tackled to the ground, his attack coming from the side.
Laughter bubbled up, the sheer joy of the cat relishing his playfulness as a wolf. He crawled off her and backed away, head low, tail wagging furiously.
She licked a paw and wiped it over her ears, grooming them back into order and knocking off the leaves that clung to her.
Mark’s jaw opened, and his wolfie grin said it all. He thought she was being a typical cat, did he? Tessa ignored him and glanced around the clearing he’d brought her to, admiring the panorama visible on the leeward side of the hill.
The view from the paddle wheeler was gorgeous, but this was spectacular. The last rays of the sun fell in streaks, creating a spotlight effect over the field. Tessa didn’t plan it, just reacted, heading for the nearest patch of sunshine and stretching lazily as warmth furled over her.
Another kind of heat hit her. Mark, rubbing his way along her side until he’d managed to wrap himself around her and clearly state his ownership. In her cat form, it was strange how little that idea bothered her.
The human, however, was the curious one. She bumped her nose against his muzzle before separating herself so she wouldn’t hurt him. Then she shifted back, coming to her human skin at his side.
“So lovely.” She ran her hand over his head and down his back, and Mark rumbled happily.
All the anxiety she’d felt earlier had dissipated, popping like bubbles, and Tessa went with her instincts. She stretched out on the thick layer of moss and rested her head on his soft furry back. The steady beat of his heart and the last heat of the sun lulled her to that point midway between sleeping and being awake.
She had him pinned. Mark laid his chin on his forepaws and slowed his racing thoughts. Tessa’s cat form was pretty cool. There would still be questions regarding the pack accepting her, but…
Time. Give it time. He breathed out through his nose and watched the tiny grasses in front of him sway.
The sun slid off them in less than ten minutes. While he hated to disturb her, they should head inside, especially since she was lying butt-naked in the bush. He twisted his head slowly, until he could see her face. Temptation beckoned.
Mark licked her, cheek to temple.
Her nose wrinkled as her eyes popped open, and she grinned. “Hey, none of that, or I’ll catch you catnapping sometime and get my revenge.”
She returned to her cougar form, and this time he let her set the pace, following to be sure she took the correct paths that would lead them home.
Home. The word made him happier now than it ever had.
Within half an hour they were in front of the fireplace, the kettle on the stove whistling softly. They’d both pulled on sweats, Tessa wearing a T-shirt from his drawer that satisfied the barest part of the hunger inside him.
When he slipped onto the couch, Tessa abandoned the easy chair she’d been curled up in while he worked, instead crawling into his lap and cuddling in tight.
Every muscle stiffened, every desire he had to take her roared back up to hundred percent.
“Thank you for the lovely run.” She whispered the words against his neck. He caressed her, his hands going instinctively to tangle in her hair. Their drinks forgotten as he lifted her chin and kissed her.
Every time he touched her, it was easier to wait, and harder. Easier, because it was just so damn right. Mentally he was on board.
Physically? There was the issue. Waiting became harder—harder like his cock, which pressed against her hip. She had to feel it as she sat in his lap, had to know how much she affected him.
He reined his desires in. Made himself stop drowning in her taste.
Pulled her to his chest and worked to calm his breathing.
“Tell me something I don’t know about you.” He stroked her hair over her shoulder. “Tell me about a dream you have—what you want to accomplish.”
Because while he wanted her, he wanted it all. And the sooner he filled his brain with All About Tessa, the better.
She sat up, head tilted as she looked him in the eye. “I want to feel like a success at something.”
The strange way she’d emphasized her words forced Mark to think through her comment before responding. “Don’t you mean be a success?”
Tessa shook her head. “I…” She paused. “I am successful. I’ve got a great education, a supportive family who runs a business I got to contribute to—and I didn’t screw up too badly in the end. From an outside-looking-in point of view, I think people see me and assume I’ve got it all together.”
He’d thought so. “But you don’t feel like that’s true?”
The bright amusement usually present in her face was missing, as was the squirming he’d already grown to expect. “If things work out well, but I didn’t do anything to make it happen, should I feel successful? Dumb luck isn’t something to be admired, Mark.”
Oh hell. “This is why the mating thing feels off to you, right? Why you want me to know about you and care about you before we make it official?”
“Mating’s got to be the purest form of dumb luck there is.” Tessa stroked a finger over his brow, rubbing away the tension. “It’s not wrong, but it’s just not right. It’s so…generic. Why does your wolf want me?”
Because it was right. They belonged together, but simply saying the words wasn’t going to convince her.
Besides, she had a point, even though those kind of things usually worked themselves out later with wolves. “Thank you for sharing. I’m honoured you trusted me.”
She snorted lightly. “Too honest for my own good, at times.”
“I had that on the list I’m making,” Mark said. Her brows went up and he hurried to reassure her. “Not the too-honest bit, but the honest part. I like that you don’t avoid issues, Tessa. It’s a good way to be. Keeps things in the open, makes it easier for me to fix my mistakes when I blow it with you down the road.”
