Tessa was tired, but she headed down to the Morgan farm south of town as directed by her boss. When she arrived, she checked the address on the mailbox to make sure she was at the right place. The home was hidden by thick trees lining the property. Even with the bare limbs, the house was impossible to see from the road. As she came into a clearing, she smiled at the large home before her. The porch wrapped around the entire log cabin home, and to the left was a huge barn and several pieces of equipment lined up next to its doors. If she could afford to own her own home, this would be the perfect place for her. She could see herself sitting on the covered front porch, sipping coffee on a cool spring morning.
She put the car in park and shook away the dream. There was no way she’d ever be able to afford a place like that. Instead, she stepped out of her car and walked around to the passenger side, reaching for the box Tulley had given her to deliver. When she turned around and closed the door with a bump from her hip, three very large men were standing on the steps leading up to the front door.
“What are you doing here?” the bigger of the three bellowed. He was the one who had been at the store the other day. She’d been in such a hurry, she hadn’t really paid much attention to him. But now? Now, she saw him. He was large, his shoulders wide. His long, corkscrew hair fell forward to cover most of his face as he headed down the stairs off the old porch. There was a wildness about the man, but she steeled her spine and held her head high.
“Tulley sent me,” she offered, holding up the box. She’d been bullied for years, and she wasn’t going to take it from this man, either. “You could be a little nicer, you know.”
“Don’t like people on my land who don’t belong,” he called out, narrowing his dark-brown eyes as he walked toward her.
“Are you Mr. Morgan?” she asked, looking over his shoulder at the other two men. Both of them stepped off the porch and walked closer, only stopping a few feet away.
The one with the dark-blond hair tucked a rag in his back pocket and shook his head before walking away. The second, and younger looking one, folded his arms over his chest and tucked his chin to hide his eyes behind the baseball cap he was wearing. Tessa couldn’t quite make out his features, but that wasn’t why she was there. She had to make a delivery, and from the scowl on this man’s face, she needed to drop it and get out of there quickly.
“I’m Drake Morgan,” he grunted, but the sound of his slow drawl sent a shiver down her spine. “And you are?”
“Tessa.” She cleared her throat. “Tessa Ward, and I work for Tulley.”
“I remember,” he growled. Tessa’s eyes widened, but she quickly righted her features when she realized she probably looked foolish. All she wanted to do was drop off the part and leave this man’s land. He obviously didn’t want her there anymore than she wanted to be there.
“Anyhow,” she smirked, “here is one of your parts. Tulley wanted me to let you know the other part will be another two days. Someone will deliver it to you.” That someone wouldn’t be her.
“He told me the parts would be in today,” Drake retorted, his eyebrows pushing together in frustration. “I need that part, little one.”
“I’m sorry,” she shrugged, ignoring his endearment. “If they come in sooner, I’m sure Tulley will deliver them himself.”
“I want you to deliver them,” he ordered as his chest swelled with a deep inhale. And yes, that deep growl of a sentence he’d strung together was, in fact, an order. “Now, set the box down and be on your way.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied, making sure she didn’t roll her eyes or kick dirt on his boots. Geez, he was super bossy and grumpy.
As she bent over, Tessa heard him inhale long and deep again. She didn’t even look at him to see what he was doing. As of that moment, she wanted nothing more than to go to her tiny apartment and go to sleep.
“Honeysuckle?” he asked, shocking Tessa for a moment. She stood up and looked him in the eyes. Drake blinked several times and gritted his teeth. She didn’t know if she should answer him or run.
“What?” she asked with a frown.
“Your scent,” he whispered in awe and took a step closer. “It’s honeysuckle.”
“Uh, no,” she shook her head, “I’m not wearing anything.”
“Forgive me.” He paused, taking a moment to clear his throat and step away. Tessa watched as he scratched at his short beard, sliding his hand around the back of his neck to work out the tension there.
“Be here tomorrow with my part,” Drake ordered after a sudden shift in his mood.
“But Tulley said it may be Friday,” she began, but a hard glare from Mr. Morgan shut her right up.
“Tomorrow,” he barked, and walked over to open the door to her car. Tessa didn’t waste time and slid into the seat, praying the car would crank on the first try. When it did, she pulled the door and slammed it shut, putting the car in reverse and leaving the Morgan’s land as fast as she could.
When she looked in the rearview mirror, Drake was rooted to the same spot, watching her as she drove away. A shiver raced up her spine as he faded from sight. Tulley never told her Drake Morgan was handsome, or that he was an asshole.
Chapter 3
Drake walked into the barn and set the box the human female had delivered down on the table Rex used to work on parts for the farm equipment. He heard a curse from under the plow his brother was working on and walked over to offer assistance.
“Only one part showed up today,” Drake announced. “Hope you can work on that one until the other one is delivered tomorrow.”
“Humph, guess that’s two days in a row a human comes on our land,” Rex growled as he dropped his tool on the ground.
“Believe me,” Drake rolled his eyes even though Rex couldn’t see him, “I don’t want anyone else on our land.”
“But the human female was a looker,” Rex admitted as he emerged from the underbelly of the plow. He wiped his hands on the old rag he kept in his back pocket and walked over to the table.
“I didn’t notice,” Drake lied. He had noticed how stunning she was, and the scent of honeysuckle piqued his interest more than it should. His bear rumbled in his mind as a form of agreement with his thoughts.
“I can scent your lie.” Rex narrowed his eyes. “Does your bear like her?”
“No,” he lied, again.
“So, that’s a yes.” Rex paused. His brother shook his head and a small smile curved his full lips. “She can be changed into one of us.”
“No,” Drake barked. “She’s a human.”
“She’s a beautiful human,” Gunner announced as he entered the barn. Drake growled low in his throat as the youngest Morgan approached. His bear didn’t want his brothers talking to, or even looking at, Tessa.
“She’s not mine,” Drake stated.
“She could be if you touched her,” Rex shrugged. “Maybe when…”
“Enough!” Drake snarled. His brothers were going to drive him insane this mating season, just like they’d done every other spring for as long as he could remember. “I will not touch a human, ever. This isn’t up for discussion.”
“Maybe I’ll touch her then,” Gunner teased, but sucked in his breath when Drake’s hand wrapped around the youngest brother’s throat. Drake’s fangs broke through his gums so quickly, the coppery taste of his own blood was thick on his human tongue. “K…kidding.”
“No one touches that female,” Drake warned, giving Gunner a good shake before letting him go. Fuck! What the hell was wrong with him? He shouldn’t feel protective of a human female. They were the enemy, and the last thing he ever wanted was to have one for a mate.
“Sure,” Rex said in an unamused tone. His middle brother grabbed the part Tessa had delivered and went back to work as if Drake choking out his brother was an everyday occurrence.
Sometimes, it was.
Drake left the barn and headed toward his home. Every step he took, his bear prowled in his mind, thinking of the blonde human and
how her hips swayed and her long hair bounced as she walked. His cock ached from the images of her that flashed through his mind. The wide, blue eyes of her stare when she was frightened and the soft sigh she produced when he ordered her to put the box on the ground just made it worse.
He needed a cold beer and an even colder shower.
He had to keep telling himself, and his bear, that she was human and the scent of honeysuckle was probably what made his bear so interested in her. It had nothing to do with how beautiful she was, or the fact that her body was perfect for his human side.
Nope, not at all.
Tessa lifted the large tray of food from the kitchen window at the diner and headed toward the table by the front door. The family of five thanked her and dug into their food. The mother reminded Tessa of her own mother as she doted over her children and smiled warmly at their father. A pain bloomed in her chest when she thought of how much she missed her own family, but knew it was better to keep her distance until her life calmed down.
Shaking those thoughts from her mind, Tessa tucked the empty tray under her arm and walked toward the kitchen. There was no need to darken her day with thoughts of things she couldn’t control. She had work to do.
Gaia, her boss, was filling the coffee machine to brew a new pot and almost every table in the place was full. As she looked around the small room, she was fine with it being busy, because the tips she’d receive during her morning shift would hopefully pay for the grocery trip she’d planned on her day off.
“Tessa, could you be a dear and bring Mr. Brown some butter?” Gaia asked as she passed with a platter of food to deliver to her tables. Her boss was in her mid-forties and beautiful. Her long, black hair fell to her waist, but when she was at the diner, Gaia kept it up in a bun at the back of her head.
“Sure.” She nodded and hurried over to the elderly man’s table.
The bell over the door jingled with the arrival of a new customer. The cool morning air crossed over her skin, causing goosebumps to raise on her arms. When Tessa looked up, she noticed the sheriff enter and head for a barstool at the counter after making a quick sweep of the diner with his keen eyes.
This was the third time he’d been in since she had started at the diner. The lawman had an air of authority about him that made people take notice. The customers looked up from their meals and some straightened their backs as he walked toward the counter where there were two empty stools for those eating alone. Gaia nodded for Tessa to take his order since she was held up with her table. Tessa tried to calm her nerves as she approached him with a menu and cup of coffee.
“Morning, Sheriff.”
“Morning, Tessa.” Sheriff Lynch smiled and took the menu from her hand. “How are you today?”
“So far, so good,” she shrugged. “Do you know what you’d like to order, or do you need another moment?”
“Give me a few minutes,” he replied, flipping over the menu. She nodded and went about cleaning a table just vacated by two men who worked for the water company. She used a rag to wipe it down and added a clean set of silverware at each place setting.
A look at the clock over her shoulder showed it was nearing nine, and thankfully, the breakfast crowd would dwindle a little so she could take a break and get off her feet for a few minutes after she served the sheriff. She’d already helped Tony, the cook, prep for the morning rush at five that morning, and she was probably going to need a cup or two of coffee during her break.
“Just give me the breakfast special,” Sheriff Lynch ordered. “I’ll take another cup of coffee when you come back around with the food.”
“Sounds great.” She smiled and wrote down his order on the pad in her pocket. “It’ll be out shortly.”
As she helped the other customers, Tessa noticed the sheriff kept looking at her from the corner of his eye. Gaia stopped and spoke to him softly. She felt a moment of panic set in, wondering why he was so observant of her. Had she done something wrong? No, it couldn’t be. Tessa had never even gotten a speeding ticket.
“Is there anything else I can get for you?” she asked as she cleared away his plate.
“How are you liking our little town?” he inquired, setting his napkin on the counter. Tessa scooped it up along with his cup and balanced it on the plate in her hands. She noticed her hands were shaking and she quickly tightened her hold on the dishes.
“It’s very nice,” she said, clearing her throat. “What I’ve seen of it, that is.”
“You’re working for Tulley, too?” he asked, swiveling the barstool so he could face her. She took a small step back and nodded instead of giving a verbal reply. She would probably answer him with a shaky voice otherwise. “Where did you say you were from?”
“I didn’t,” she whispered as her heart began to race. Why was he asking her so many questions?
“Okay, understood,” he relented after a small pause. Sheriff Lynch stood and pulled out his wallet, dropping some cash on the counter. He gave her a smile and left without any further questions. As soon as he was gone, she hurried to the kitchen to drop off the dishes, making an excuse to use the restroom. When she closed and locked the door, Tessa leaned against the bathroom counter and let out a harsh breath.
“I don’t want to be found.”
She waited for a few minutes before returning to the kitchen. Tony was just setting an order in the window, and Gaia was wiping her hands at the sink. “Everything okay, Tessa?”
“Oh, yes,” she lied, grabbing a large tray to carry the food. She hurried along and served the last of the morning rush.
It took another thirty minutes for the place to slow down enough for Tessa to take a break. Gaia hurried her along to the small breakroom in the back with a cup of coffee in hand.
She removed her phone and did an internet search for her ex, hoping she’d read something on him being in jail where he couldn’t come and find her again. To her dismay, there was nothing new online.
Why was the sheriff being so nosey?
Tessa wanted nothing more than to be left alone so she could go on with her life. She thought back to Drake Morgan and his need for peace on his land. She wanted that more than anything and would make it her life’s goal to find a little place in the country like his.
Chapter 4
It was five minutes before the start of her shift at the parts store when Tessa arrived. Tulley sat on a stool behind the counter, reading the local newspaper. The old man frowned as she rushed around, dropping her bag in the bottom drawer of his desk.
“You okay?” Tulley asked aloud, folding the paper and setting it on the desk. Her boss looked worried, but she waved away his concern with a flutter of her fingers.
“I’m fine, just running late,” she huffed and sat heavily in the chair. “The diner was busy and I was late leaving.”
“Did you eat lunch today at all?” he worried.
“A banana,” she replied. “Gaia sent me off with a bowl of chicken pasta for my dinner. It’s in my bag.”
“Gaia is a good woman,” he said with a smile, causing Tessa to feel a blush paint her cheeks at the way his face brightened when talking about the lady who owned the diner.
“Do you have the part for Mr. Morgan?” she asked, changing the subject.
“I sure do, but Drake called and asked if you could bring it later today.” He nodded and pointed to the box at the end of the counter. “It’s heavy. I’ll load it in your car before you leave.”
“What do you need me to work on today?”
“We had a shipment arrive earlier, and it needs to be entered into the computer,” he said, ruffling through a stack of papers. He pulled three from the stack and handed them over. “I’ve already counted the parts and the paperwork matches up.”
“I’ll take care of this right now,” she offered, and took a seat behind the desk. As she updated the inventory, Tessa watched the clock, wondering why Drake Morgan wanted her to wait to come to his home. The thought of going out there later in the day
gave her pause, but she knew Tulley wouldn’t send her anywhere that could be dangerous, no matter how much of an asshole the customer was to her.
“When you’re done, you can take the part to the Morgan’s farm,” he explained. “Let me have your keys and I’ll put the box in your trunk.” She handed over the keys and left her boss to take the part to her car.
She’d become very fond of Tulley. He was always watching out for her, and she appreciated it. Having him there made being alone in a new city a little more bearable. The old man treated her like a daughter, and she felt more at ease at the parts store than anywhere else.
Movement outside made her look up from her work. Tulley was standing in the parking lot talking to one of the local deputies. His hands were tucked in his blue dress pants, and when he laughed, the wrinkles around his mouth deepened when he smiled.
The phone rang, but she didn’t take her eyes off the deputy as she took the call from another farmer in the area looking for his own parts. Tessa knew she was being paranoid since the sheriff had come into the diner that morning.
She couldn’t worry about her past. She’d left her last home in a hurry, and there was nothing tying her to Olive Branch. If her ex wanted to find her, she was sure he’d do it. Her only hope was that he would give up trying to get her to come back to him, and if she really analyzed the encounter with the sheriff, Tessa knew his inquiry into her personal information had nothing to do with the man she’d been running from for the last year and a half. He wouldn’t let her be found, would he? Maybe she should’ve talked to him…to Tulley…hell, even Gaia.
“You ready to head to the Morgan’s farm?” Tulley asked as he entered the building. Tessa typed the final numbers into the computer and initialed the corner of the packing slip, filing it away in the drawer above where she kept her purse.
Mating Season (Morgan Clan Bears, Book 1) Page 2
