Rhianna and Marjorie leaned in closer. “Cute.”
“Is that it?” Cassie asked.
“Well, he has nice skin and he shaves; looks as if he’s house trained.” Rhianna giggled, and Marjorie shook her head.
“Why don’t you tell us what you think of him?” Marjorie rested her hand on Cassie’s shoulder. “I mean, what you really think of him.”
Cassie knew that Marjorie got it, that she knew that she had found her first success story. Even though Fated and Mated hadn’t officially launched yet, they had their first mated bond confirmed.
Rhianna gasped. “Do you mean...?”
“At least we know the site works,” Cassie said, her voice high and wavering.
“Are you going to message him?” Marjorie asked.
“Do you think I ought to?” Cassie said. “I mean, what am I supposed to say?”
“Hi sexy, I’m your mate.” Rhianna squinted at the picture. “At least he looks solvent.”
“He’s the brother who works in the city,” Marjorie said. “Shall I get Melanie on the phone and ask her for references?”
Marjorie already had her phone in her hand, but Cassie, suddenly pulled out from the stupor she had been in, said, “No, I don’t want everyone knowing. I mean, what if I got it wrong. It’s one thing to know who your mate is in real life, another to see him on a screen. I’m going to feel pretty foolish if I’m wrong.”
“Then message him.” Marjorie said, pulling up a chair, while Rhianna hovered over her shoulder.
Cassie placed her hands on the keyboard, and then took them away again. “Help.”
“OK, start by saying ‘hi,’” Rhianna offered.
“Well, I could have figured that part out on my own,” Cassie said, her nerves getting the better of her. She scrolled up to see his name. “Logan.”
“Keep it simple,” Rhianna advised. “Hi, Logan, I have seen your photo on Fated and Mated, and think we are a perfect match.”
Cassie couldn’t think of anything else and so typed the message, her hands shaking so much she misspelled a couple of words, and had to read it three times to see that it was all correct.
“Now hit send.” Marjorie leaned forward. “Maybe he is still online and will reply.”
Cassie felt her nerves become even more frazzled, if that was possible. “Why don’t I wait until tomorrow.”
“Are you kidding, you need to do it now. I know you, you’ll chicken out if you give yourself the chance.”
In her head, her bear agreed with her. He’s our mate. Simple, straight to the point, but it left Cassie in no doubt she would be living with a grumpy bear for the rest of her life if she messed this up.
Lifting her finger, as if she were about to detonate a bomb, she pressed the enter key, and the message was sent.
“Oh my,” she said, one hand on either side of her cheek. “I feel sick.”
“Here, have some wine.” Marjorie handed her the glass that had sat next to her, untouched. Sipping at first, she soon drank it fast, wanting to numb the feelings inside her, but the wine only heightened the buzz in her head.
“Right, you stay there, and I’ll finish dinner,” Marjorie said, heading back to the kitchen, but she had to make frequent returns to the computer to check if a reply had arrived.
After fifteen minutes, there was no reply and dinner was ready, so Cassie left her chair and went to eat, although it was impossible to swallow because of the lump of nerves in her throat.
“It will work out, maybe he’s not at his computer.”
“What if he looks at my profile and doesn’t get it, doesn’t see I’m his mate.”
“Well, he should, he has that symbol on the right-hand side of his profile picture to indicate he’s a shifter. Oh, I wonder what he is?”
“A bear, of course he’s a bear, Taylor’s brothers are all bears.” Marjorie poured more wine.
“This is so exciting!” Rhianna said. “You’ll have a real romance, Marjorie, a real mated pair to promote your website.”
“I know,” Marjorie beamed but when she looked at Cassie, her smile faded. “Although that would be up to Cassie.”
Cassie wasn’t really listening, and she wasn’t really eating either; her stomach was churning, and the same mantra was rolling around in her head, she had found her mate. And now she had to wait and see if he really liked her, or whether the system was screwed up and she would have to live with this feeling of unreciprocated need for the rest of her life.
“Cass,” Rhianna said quietly and touched her hand, making her jump. “Try to eat, it’ll turn out OK.”
“Sorry, I’m still in shock.” Cassie picked up her fork and began to eat. Food would make her feel better, it always did. Although right now she could murder a bowl of chocolate brownie ice cream.
They sat quietly and finished dinner, with Cassie consciously not sliding her eyes sideways toward the computer to check if she had a new message. Her email was connected to her smart phone; she would know as soon as she got a reply.
Nothing.
“Dessert, dear?” Marjorie asked, and brought out a lovely apple pie, which she served with ice cream, and by the end of it, Cassie was feeling halfway to being human. But still all the way to feeling rejected.
To keep herself busy, she said, “That was delicious. Do you want me to do the dishes?”
“No, I’ll do them.” Rhianna was up out of her seat and collecting everything off the table, whilst shooting Marjorie a sidelong look, and jerking her head back to Cassie.
“Oh,” said Marjorie. “Right.”
“Right what?” Cassie asked suspiciously.
“Nothing, I just … we just thought you might need a hug and a chat.”
Cassie sighed, feeling as if she were five years old and had fallen down and scraped her knee. “Yes, I think I do.”
Marjorie, full of motherly love, came and wrapped her arms around Cassie. “You know, he’s probably just busy; maybe he’s gone out. Why don’t I get ahold of Melanie, it’s got to be better than you being miserable?”
“I appreciate it, but no, I want this to not be forced.” She laughed. “I mean I know it is, because of the website, but the rest of it, I need it to be natural.”
“I understand.” Marjorie stroked her hair. “You and Rhianna mean so much to me.”
“And we love you.” Cassie rested her head on Marjorie’s shoulder. Her life had never lacked love, but now, seeing Logan, her mate, she needed more, needed to be with her mate. She felt incomplete.
“All done.” Rhianna came out of the kitchen and smiled at Cassie and Marjorie. “Room for one more?”
“Always,” Cassie said, and she hugged her too.
“Now, you two should get home.” Marjorie said.
“I could do some more work on the site,” Cassie offered.
“No, not tonight.” Marjorie winked. “You go home and get some sleep.”
“You know that’s not going to happen,” Cassie said sadly.
“Still, you need to get some rest, because when he does contact you, he will sweep you off your feet.”
“I’m so nervous.” Cassie looked at her phone again. Still nothing. “I’m scared if he gets in touch, but terrified of what will happen if he does.”
“Until you talk to him for the first time, and then it will all fall into place and the world will look different.” Marjorie sighed dramatically. “At least, that’s what Eirik told me when he found Drew.”
Cassie left Marjorie’s house and walked home with Rhianna. “You know, I really feel like I need to go for a run.”
Rhianna followed her gaze up toward the Bluff. “Really?”
“I’ll go on my own.” Cassie began to move off toward the path that led up to the trees. “I’ll be fine, I just need a little time to get my head round this whole thing.”
“Cass, sure. I can come with you if you want.” But Cassie could tell that Rhianna just wanted to go home. She’d been up early this morning, to get to work
on time. She worked shifts in the local bakery and she needed to go to bed, or else she would be tired the next morning. Last time she’d been tired at work she had ended up burning the first batch of bread; it had taken two days to get rid of the stench from the bakery. Not good for business.
Anyway, Cassie preferred to go on her own: she didn’t want to have to explain anything to anybody, or answer any questions. Questions she really didn’t have an answer for, because this was so new, so exciting, and yet so terrifying, all rolled up into one.
She needed some time alone with her bear, to run free over the mountain, to try and relax. But as she reached the lower slopes of the mountain, her phone beeped. Her heart raced as she pulled it out and looked at the screen. There it was, what she been waiting for all evening.
Her mate had replied.
Chapter Four – Logan
Logan had spent a very uncomfortable hour trying to figure out exactly what he was going to say in reply to his prospective mate.
“Hi, Logan, I have seen your photo on Fated and Mated, and think we are a perfect match. Cassie.”
He had sat and stared at her message on the screen, but eventually, feeling as if his mind would explode, he’d gone and had a shower, trying to relax. It helped a little bit, but his mind was still a jumble of words that just wouldn’t go in the right order. He was going to end up looking like a bit of an idiot instead of a successful city trader if he wasn’t careful.
With a towel wrapped around his midriff, he’d come to his computer, ready to say something, anything, to get in contact with his mate. Nervously, he clicked to reply to her email; this was it. Although this wasn’t exactly how he had pictured first contact with his mate, but in this modern age, shifters would have to get used to it.
Fingers poised over the keyboard, he thought of what he could tell her about himself. In the end he had typed three words.
“Can we meet?” And then pressed enter.
She is going to think you are an idiot who can’t string a sentence together, he thought miserably.
Here he was, a successful man, confident in his own world, capable of giving big presentations to company shareholders, and yet when it came to the most important moment of his life, nothing. His mind was wrapped up in what? Excitement, anticipation, or just plain fear?
Getting on the website had been a horrible idea. It was supposed to be different to this, it was supposed to be that heart-stopping moment when you see her across the room and know you are going to be together forever.
His computer pinged, his heart stopped. Opening the email, he saw the word yes, and his world exploded.
“When?” he asked.
“Now?” The reply came back.
“Where?”
“I’m on the Bluff.”
“On my way.” He got up, and grabbed his car keys, and was halfway out of the door when he realized, with the help of a cold draft, that he was not dressed. Back inside, he grabbed a T-shirt and jeans, and was pulling on sneakers as he was leaving the apartment and going down the stairs, two at a time, out into the parking lot, and to his car.
His heart raced, not because of the exertion, but because he was so damn excited, more excited than any Christmas or birthday. Slowly the realization that this was it, he had found her, was building up inside him, making him feel as if he would explode.
Taking care not to speed, he headed out of the city. It was a twenty-minute drive to Bear Bluff, and then he would have to leave his car and go all bear to climb the mountain to reach her. What if he couldn’t find her?
If they were meant to be, of course he would. Wow, now he was spouting romantic claptrap, this was getting serious!
Threading his way through the narrow lanes, he picked a secluded place to leave his car, jumped out, and, throwing caution to the wind, was bear before he had even reached the cover of the trees. You had to risk it all for love, right?
Breath pumping air into his lungs, heart pumping blood through his veins, he climbed, his big, strong back legs propelling him forward irrevocably to where she was waiting. If she was still there. What if she’d left, what if he had taken too long?
Thoughts circled around in his head, and he swept them aside, concentrating on what he was supposed to say to her at a moment like this. Hi, do you come here often wouldn’t quite cut it.
The Bluff was near. He had been up on it so many times as a child, and he had never dreamed that this was where he would meet his mate for the first time. He marveled at the fact she was so close; all this time she had been in his home town. How could he have missed her?
Stopping, not knowing which way to go when the path forked, he sniffed the air. There, tantalizing on the air, he could smell her. Claws dug into the ground as he leaped forward, his big paws causing an avalanche of shingle down the mountainside. But he kept moving, knowing she was near, knowing she was waiting.
He burst through the trees, and slid to a halt. There she was, looking startled as he nearly careered into her. Great, another good impression, he thought, as he stopped and stared at her, hoping he wasn’t drooling as her scent swept over him.
They stood, two bears, face to face, and then she lowered her head, taking a deep breath, drawing in his scent before taking a step toward him. Logan stood his ground, letting her approach, wanting her to want him, and terrified she might turn and run.
But she didn’t, and then she was next to him, her head rubbing against his shoulder, sending shock waves through his body. He had always heard of this first touch, but had never believed it could be so magical, so intense. Turning his giant face to hers, he licked her fur, and then buried his nose in her soft coat, inhaling deeply.
But then she backed away and cocked her head to look at him. He knew what she was going to do. The air shimmered around her and she left this world for one moment, before returning, the air alive as her shape grew and came together. Here she was, his mate, in human form, and what a form it was.
He stood and stared, taking in her curvy body, her wonderful breasts, ripe for his hands to caress and massage. Almost without thinking, his human side took over, appearing before her, wanting to touch her, to kiss her, to make love to her.
Yet it was too soon, he knew that. Even if his bear would rather have it different.
And of course, his bear would have it much, much different.
Chapter Five – Cassie
Oh my, she thought as he appeared in front of her, all larger than life, but looking much more yummy than his profile picture.
She wanted to hide, feeling inferior to him, but then she straightened herself up. She was not a wimp, and this was something she wanted; and he wanted it too, she could see it written in his eyes. And what beautiful eyes they were. She couldn’t make out the color of them in the dim light, but they were soft and expressive, and they told her everything she needed to know. Her confidence soared.
“Hi, I’m Cassie,” she said, unable to resist lifting her hand and giving a small wave.
“Logan, as you know,” he said, his voice deep and as sensual as his eyes. Her insides melted, as if he touched her soul.
“Of course. So…” She stood looking at him, and he stood looking at her.
And then he grinned, breaking the mood of awkwardness that had threatened. “This is not how I pictured meeting my mate for the first time.”
“Me neither.” Although when she examined her feelings, there was no doubt he was her mate. Her body ached to be in his arms and her lips pouted, trying to reach out for a kiss.
She coughed and then shuffled her feet to regain her composure. Why couldn’t she think of anything cool and interesting to say, instead of just staring at him? But then he was staring right back.
“So what do you do?” she asked. It seemed the most obvious thing to ask.
“I work in the city. I’m a broker,” he said. “Sounds more glamorous than it is.”
“Oh, but you look glamorous,” she blurted out, taking in his designer jeans and T-shirt
that clung to his chest in all the right places. “I mean, you don’t look like the guys I usually see around in Bear Bluff.”
He smiled. “I hope that’s a compliment.”
“Oh, yeah, but then I don’t mix with, you know … your kind of men.”
“My kind of men?” he asked raising an eyebrow.
“Oh, damn, I’m not good at this. I’m an unemployed graphic designer who lives over a warehouse with her best friend.” She held out her hands wide and shrugged. “So, yes, we probably would never mix with the same kind of people.”
“Listen, from now on, we are the same kind of people.” He took a step closer, and reached out his hand to stroke her hair back from her face. “No matter what you think, you are definitely my kind of person.”
She lifted her chin to look into his eyes: green, they were green with flecks of bronze in them and that was all she remembered as he bent his head and kissed her. Cassie had to grab hold of him, her fingers clutching at his T-shirt, while she fought to keep herself upright. Hard, when her legs were weak and she wanted to sink to her knees.
Inside her head, her bear roared passionately and gave Cassie a prod. Keep upright; don’t let go. Her bear was always good with the practical advice.
His lips were warm and sensual, and once she got over the initial feeling of being overwhelmed, she allowed the sensations to flood her body. Delicate tendrils of desire were unfurling in her stomach and extending out to awaken her arousal. As his tongue slipped along her lower lip, her excitement kicked up a notch and her sex ached for him; she wanted him to touch her, to take her.
After all, she was his mate. At that thought, she broke the kiss, backing away.
“OK?” he asked, his eyes dilated, his face confused.
“Yes, it’s just, well, I’m not … I don’t want to … not here.” She felt stupid.
“Oh, no, of course not.” He stroked her arm, sending fresh shock waves through her body. “But you’re right, it wouldn’t take much for me to lose control around you.” He sounded disappointed, which made her happy. How bad was she?
Fated and Mated - Love at First Site Page 2
