He looked up at us with a smile and my heart seemed to stop beating. It started again with a flutter when his eyes met mine and I forgot how to breathe.
“Ma’am?” He asked two heartbeats later, his smile amused.
“Oh, um, Cora? Kaia? What do you think?” My eyes begged them to agree. I’d been afraid Kaia was going to crawl over the desk and smack the woman in the mouth when she’d been so rude to me but Kaia had controlled herself. I could see her trying to calm herself down now and smiled at her, pleading once more.
“Alright.” She said, her face still revealing her doubt. “But any more of that nonsense and we’re leaving. Are those the rooms with the Jacuzzis?”
“Yes, they are. I’m also sending up some champagne and light snacks and sandwiches, free of charge.” The man said.
I handed over my credit card; the women had already paid me their share of the fees, and took the paper from him when he gave it to me to sign. Our fingers brushed together and I shivered at his touch. I looked into his deep brown eyes and saw how they widened just a little as he looked at me. His nostrils flared slightly, and I wondered at the reason. My fingers longed to play in the curly reddish brown hair on his head and to smooth it away from his face. The man was gorgeous, muscular, and could never be attracted to a woman like me. I was nowhere even in his league. He must have been looking at Cora or Kaia, he couldn’t have been looking at me. Even though he had been.
“Right then. My name is Hale Masters. I’m one of the owners of the resort. This is my mobile number, if you need anything, anything at all, just give me a buzz. Any time, day or night. Promise?” He asked me with an intense look.
Oh he did make my knees wobble!
“Yes, sure. And thank you Mr. Masters. Thank you very much.” I said as I put the paper in my handbag and started to wheel my luggage away.
The man couldn’t have really been interested in little old dumpy me, could he? I had to fan myself as I walked away from him, the urge to run back and lick him up one side and down the other almost too strong to resist. I grinned from the moment I stepped onto the elevator until I sat down in my room, staring at the bottle of champagne with the note tied around it.
“Would you all meet me at seven for dinner? In the lobby downstairs.-H”
The girls were going to have a fit! I might myself!
Chapter Two
“A rather interesting woman came in today. With two of her friends. I’ve invited them to dinner, if you’d care to join us.” Hale spoke to his three friends, all of them sitting in his office at 6:30 pm sharing a glass of brandy.
“Sure. What has you so hot and bothered about this woman though?” Knox asked, handsome and as tall as Hale he was the joker of the bunch. Hale looked at him and grinned.
“She made my bear want to crawl all over her. I had to actually control myself. That’s not something I’ve had to do since I was a teenager. She’s tiny. A little overweight but she’s still perfect. Sweet and logical, she doesn’t take any lip but she’s placid. A conundrum that makes me want to take her and hide her away.” Hale’s words trailed off as he thought about Tessa. The woman was beautiful beyond words, he knew it and his bear knew it. This woman was his mate.
“And the other women?” Rhys asked. Often seen to be smiling, Rhys was male model material and women often draped themselves over him.
Hale grinned at Rhys, knowing what he wanted to know. “I think two of you may have found mates. At least two of you. I know some of you like to share.”
Rhys quirked an eyebrow at Hale and tipped his glass at him. “Right you are my friend.”
Zed, the quiet one of the bunch watched his friends, his brothers, and wondered what this news meant for him. They were all looking for mates now, after spending their twenties becoming richer than their wildest dreams. Now they wanted a calm quiet life and this resort was going to provide that. He wondered what kind of turmoil these women might bring. Then he dismissed his worry. They were only here for two weeks. They couldn’t cause that much damage in that amount of time could they?”
I sat in Cora’s room, on a chair on her balcony to be more exact, and listened as the women giggled behind me. They’d all received the same note, which rather deflated me but Cora and Kaia had convinced me it was all for me. I’d run back to my room and changed, straightening my hair out into a long mass of blond locks, and putting on a new skirt and top. I looked good, I thought as I applied a little eye makeup. Yes, I did.
Now they were making plans for me, wondering where to get condoms, and how long it would be before they saw me again. I smiled but didn’t know if it would go that far. I was only here for two weeks, after all.
“Come on, Tess. Have a little fun for all of us. Do you really think a man’s going to be interested in me in my current state?” Cora called out to her. “One of us has to get some while we’re here and it might as well be you! I think you’re overdue!”
That was one secret about me my friends didn’t know. I wasn’t just overdue, I was a virgin! No man had ever stirred me enough to make me want to drop my panties. I’m sorry! I just hadn’t ever wanted to go that far with anyone. Sure, I had urges, fantasies, but my fantasies were always more fascinating than the groping, sweaty, just plain gross reality of my experiences so far.
I grinned once more and stood up from my chair. Hale Masters, in his dark suit and brooding eyes, might be worth it, though. He just might.
“Hey, I wonder if he’s one of those shifters we’ve heard about? I don’t know if there are any this far north of Texas and Louisiana but there could be. He has the eyes for it.” Cora wondered aloud.
“A shifter?” I asked, lost for a moment.
“Yes, one of those werebears. I hear those men are hot in the sheets. My cousin down in Alabama met one and she swears her panties just fell right off in the middle of a casino. She nearly died of embarrassment but even his voice had her ready to go.” Cora giggled as Kaia looked dubious.
“I don’t know about all of that but we should keep an eye out for Tessa tonight. From what I saw she had trouble keeping her own panties on at that desk and she had pants on!” Kaia burst out laughing as she finished.
The women were still laughing when the elevator stopped and the door opened with a ding. The laughter died as the doors slid open and four very handsome, very virile, but all completely different men greeted the women. For me, that was the moment the world ceased to exist and Hale became the whole of my world. He was standing there with a rose, in a black pinstriped suit, his brooding gaze taking in the sight of me.
“Nice.” He whispered to me as I walked up close to him. “But I prefer the real you.”
He tucked the rose behind my ear and took my hand, guiding me into the restaurant. A room had been set up in the back for us and a table set up so that we could all sit together.
“Ladies, these are my friends and business partners, Rhys, Zed, and Knox. Fellas this is Tessa, Cora, and Kaia. We hope you have a lovely evening with us.” Hale’s formal introduction over with, he sat down in the middle of the table and pulled me down beside of him.
He seemed to be a very dominant man and normally I would kick back against that. I was independent after all. But something about the way he handled me, as if I might break but with a knowledge that I wouldn’t, made me want to purr. I sat down and looked over at Cora and Kaia. Both were deep in introducing themselves to the men they were sat between. They were fine.
I turned back to Hale and asked how he was. A waiter brought in two wines, a red and a white, for each of us, and a menu. I took a sip of the white to clear my palate, and turned back to Hale as he finally was able to answer.
“I’m pleased to say I’ve taken out the trash and replaced Lordes with another manager. He’ll be starting tomorrow.” He spoke smoothly, his voice a husky growl that thrilled me.
Hale’s voice had the heavy accent of coastal Georgia and I loved it from the first. His words were like thick rich rum that you wanted to savo
r for as long as you could.
“That was quick. Had she been causing problems before today?” I asked, feeling a twinge of guilt over the woman losing her job.
“She had but today was the worst of it. That was completely uncalled for and again, I do apologize for my staff’s rudeness. I’m glad you’ve stayed though, Tessa Johnson. You fascinate me.” His eyes bored into mine and I felt as though he was barely controlling himself, a thin wedge of string all that kept him from pouncing on me to devour me.
I shivered in my chair and stared into his eyes. I had no inkling of caution, no will to look away or protest. I wanted Hale to do whatever he wanted to with me. I was his from the moment I stepped off the elevator and I wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.
Dinner was an excruciating exercise in control. Hale and I seemed to touch constantly, our legs pressing together beneath the table, his hand sliding against mine, and our heads drawing together time after time. I’ve never felt this way about a man and I wondered for about two seconds how far I’d let this go.
I wondered for about two seconds because by that time I’d had three glasses of wine and caution was gone totally. I’d have invited him up to my room if he hadn’t offered to guide me back to my room later that night. I felt a moment of relief at not having to ask and gave a sigh of relief as the elevator doors closed. The others were still at the table but we were alone. Finally.
As soon as the doors shut Hale pulled me close to his body, my own molding to his as his lips fell to mine. I tasted him, the tang of wine and the zing of his lemon pie, and wanted more. I wanted to taste the scent of his skin just below his ear; I wanted to feel the power of his chest muscles beneath my fingertips. I wanted him.
He tore himself away from me as the elevator dinged once more and took a ragged breath before he guided me to my room. He paused at the door and kissed me once more. Our tongues tangled in a duel that had me wanting to pull him to the wall to fuck me right there. His hand pulling at my skirt made me weak in the knees and I moaned into his mouth. He pulled away before I could take it any further.
“Sweet Tessa. I can’t control myself around you.” He pulled me into his arms to look down into my eyes. “Those beautiful blue eyes of yours beg me to take you, to make you mine, but you need time. I want you to be sure.”
I wanted to protest, I tried to protest, but his index finger over my lips silenced me.
“There are things you don’t know, things you should know, before this goes any further. Sleep tonight and I will see you again tomorrow.” He walked away then and I felt like a part of me was being torn away with him.
I watched him go, then let myself into my room. Despite the abrupt ending to our night I couldn’t stop the smile that spread over my face. I slipped into the Jacuzzi that looked out over the view of the mountains outside and let the stress and exhaustion of the day slip away. Soon I would be Hale’s. Soon.
I tossed and turned most of the night, despite the luxuriously comfortable bed. My dreams were filled with visions of Hale. He wooed me gently, slowly, with flowers and words of love in my dreams. He introduced me to his ideas of passion, a mixture of control, bondage, and the relief of pent up passions. He taught me control in all things, even of me, as the night passed, and he took the reins of my life. He was all but my master in name and I adored him.
He gave me time to adjust to him, to learn to love him, before he came to me with his full passion. The dreams tripped on throughout the night and by morning I felt as though I’d lived a lifetime with the man. By the end of the dreams Hale had finally taken me to his bed. He’d stirred my passion with his mouth, with his fingers, and with his words once more, my sobs for relief filling the air before he turned to reveal his back to me.
Something about Hale had terrified me in those dreams. There was something dangerous just below the surface, something that could be terrible but yet, it drew me closer to him. As his tongue pleased me in the dream, I forgot to worry and as I found my release my eyes closed. I opened them as he moved away from me and saw a tattoo covered his entire back.
I squinted at the colors but could not see them well. I thought the main image was of a black bear, with a brown snout. Moving to stand over him I saw the bear was circled by a forest image, trees and a dark moon creating a frame for the bear stood on its back legs, roaring fiercely. I stepped back as the image shifted and the roaring bear calmed, became tame, and went back to all fours.
I awoke then tired and bewildered. The dreams left me confused and feeling as though I actually had lived each of those moments with Hale. It wasn’t possible but I felt it all the same. And that tattoo, what was that about? Had I suddenly developed a tattoo fetish? And a fetish to be controlled? What the heck is wrong with me? I shook myself before getting out of bed, trying to clear my brain. I knew I was a conservative woman, a woman hard to please, but did that mean I secretly longed to be controlled by the man I loved. Apparently, I’d loved it in my dreams. I wonder what would happen if he released that tightly controlled beast?
Chapter Three
Walking up the dirt path of the hiking trail Kaia had talked us into this morning I wondered if I could slip away without her noticing. Both of them, Cora and Kaia, were happy as chipmunks in spring this morning and here I was exhausted and cranky. I glared at her back as she kept up a cheerful conversation with Cora and wondered what the two of them had been up to last night.
“Hey, what were you two doing last night?” I finally broke down and asked. I was grumpy but not rude.
“I imagine the same as you, giving my pillow some head. Or somebody anyway.” Kaia snickered as she kept up her pace.
“Ha-ha, no, I was alone. And you Cora?” Surely one of us got lucky last night?
“About the same. Although, getting attention from those two guys was pretty breathtaking. I had some seriously wicked dreams last night!” Cora grinned as she too continued bouncing up the trail.
“Me too!” Kaia chimed in. She stopped and looked at me questioningly. “Well?”
“Yeah, I did as well. I think we all need more than a hike this morning.” I said with a grin as my bad mood finally disappeared.
“Mm, yeah, I think we do. But let’s see about this trail first. I need to work off some of that lava cake they fed me.” Kaia rubbed at her tummy before heading down a path that was marked on the trail map but wasn’t really visible in person.
“The road less travelled huh? Alright, I’m game.” I said as I took water out of my back pack and followed along behind Kaia.
Our conversation trailed off as the trail became steeper and they began to concentrate on the rock-covered path. Occasionally having to climb over trees and boulders, my friends became lost in their own thoughts and mine turned to the scene in the restaurant this morning. Hale had come in and looked over to me with a smile. He didn’t come near me but he gave a wave.
I waved back and picked up some oatmeal and an orange slice, not caring what I ate now. I went back to the table and spooned the food into my mouth, not even mixing it with jelly to make it palatable. I’d sit there watching him forever if I could but the ladies insisted I go hiking with them. I suppose I needed to keep walking but this was literally the man of my dreams. I could stare at him forever.
I was still protesting, not really wanting to walk away from Hale when he was so near when he looked over at me from his table with Knox. Once more, he smiled at me and I could see the burning hunger of my own eyes returned in his. I could have also sworn he’d mouthed the words “later” at me. I nodded, certain that’s what he’d done, and went off happily with my friends. My cheeks flamed as I looked at him one last time, remembering the way I’d begged him to handcuff my hands behind my back in my dream, the way I’d begged him to fuck me as he bent me over his kitchen table.
I couldn’t imagine really doing such things but in my dreams, I was free to do as I chose. It seemed bondage was one of the things I really, really wanted. I was still considering it, marveling at h
ow the memory of the dreams made me feel when Kaia came to a halt suddenly. I hadn’t paid much attention but I knew we’d been going back and forth, crisscrossing for about fifteen minutes now.
“What’s up?” I finally asked as she sat down on a boulder, her frustration clear.
“I can’t remember how to get back. There’s no trail and no signs.” She said, staring at her map.
“Hale will find us before long. Don’t worry. I don’t think those guys will leave us out here for long.” I sat down beside her and put my arm around her.
Some instinct told me to call for Hale, mentally, to reach out to him with my mind. I concentrated on where we were and on silently calling his name. I knew he’d come.
“Let’s go back to that area by the river, at least its cooler there.” Cora finally said.
“That is a cooler spot and you can put your feet in the water to relax you, Cora. Let’s go.” I agreed.
We sat there for about an hour and then Kaia wanted to leave. I’d been sitting with my eyes closed, calling to Hale, and told her we needed to wait.
“He can’t know where we are, Tessa. Our phones are back there, how’s he going to find us?” Kaia demanded. I pulled at her hand and pulled her down beside me, handing her a bottle of water from my pack.
“Calm down, darling, he’s coming. Never fear.” I probably sounded like some new age cult member but couldn’t help it. And when the sound of an ATV came to our ears I looked over at her grinning. “See, he’s here.”
Kaia turned, her eyes narrowing as the men appeared. She shook her head before turning to help Cora up. I don’t know what she’d decided on but I knew Hale was near before I saw him. I could feel his presence.
Cade (Alexander Shifter Brothers Book 2) Page 20
