The Wolf's Mate: Billionaire Shifter Paranormal Romance (Hearts on Fire Book 4)

by Natalie Kristen

  No, no. This was just casual sex, not mating sex.

  She had met a handsome gentleman at the bar, and they were two consenting adults who knew that they wanted. One night of decadent pleasure. Nothing more.

  So why was her heart pounding so hard and her body aching so maddeningly for this man? She’d always gone after what she wanted, but she had never wanted anyone like this before.

  She wanted Caine, and she wanted everything he could give her. Could she walk away from his bed with her mind and heart intact?

  Tia gritted her teeth and stared into Caine’s glowing eyes. What the hell was she doing, overthinking a simple, casual affair? Geez, this wasn’t even an affair. This was just sex. She would probably never see the guy again.

  She wasn’t a sappy, cheesy, sentimental fool.

  She could separate sex from love. Caine never promised her anything. They were just going to have sex, incredible, toe-curling, mind-blowing sex. There were no feelings involved. Caine never asked for more, and she shouldn’t expect more.

  She knew what she was doing. There should be no feelings involved. None that involved the heart.

  But her body was feeling everything. Her body had come alive under Caine’s skillful mouth and hands. It was like he owned her body and knew exactly how she would respond to his touch and kisses.

  She wanted him inside her, and feel his huge, hard cock pushing into her, stretching her and filling her.

  Tia raised her hips to him, and Caine released a low, dangerous growl. She saw the tips of his canines and claws and she knew that both the man and the wolf were staring down at her naked body. Caine’s broad, ripped body was beaded with sweat, and his muscles were bulging and throbbing as he fought to restrain his beast.

  Tia didn’t want him to hold back. She didn’t want him to restrain himself. She wanted to see him lose control and lose his mind for her.

  “Caine,” she said hoarsely.

  The sound of his name on her lips undid him. With a feral snarl, he grabbed her and plunged deep into her.

  Tia gasped as his cock slammed into her pussy. He was so big, and she squeezed her eyes shut as both pain and pleasure exploded from her core. Her entire body trembled as Caine gathered her in his arms and held her tight.

  He kissed her tenderly, kissing her eyelids and cheeks before taking her mouth. Tia moaned softly against his lips as the brief pain subsided and her walls stretched and rippled to accommodate Caine’s formidable girth and length.

  It felt so good, so incredibly amazing.

  Tia clung to Caine’s powerful shoulders and subtly rocked her hips. Caine made a strangled sound and growled her name. When he began to move, Tia let out a small cry of pleasure.

  Caine slid in and out of her body, pulling all the way out before pushing his cock deep into her pussy again. Tia could feel herself getting wetter as her body cried out for more. She wanted him to take her harder, deeper, faster. She wanted to fly over the edge and take him with her. She wanted to see a confident, powerful man like Caine shatter and shudder in ecstasy in her arms.

  Tia tried to flip Caine onto his back but he growled and gripped her wrists hard. Pinning her hands to the sides of her head, he stared deep into her eyes as he surged into her.

  Her body quivered and undulated beneath his as he thrust into her. He stared at her with raw lust and possessiveness as he drove himself into her again and again.

  Tia began to pant as her body coiled tighter and tighter with each forceful thrust. Instinctively, Tia turned her head and bared her neck to Caine. She had looked into the eyes of his wolf, and she wanted him to bite her, sink his teeth into her neck and mark her.

  She had never, ever wanted to be marked by any of her lovers before.

  Why was she doing this now?

  It was just an instinctive action. Her body seemed to want to belong to Caine.

  Was it her body or her heart?

  Tia pushed the confusing, jumbled thoughts out of her head and just surrendered to the incredible sensation of Caine fucking her. He was fucking her right out of her mind and her senses. She just knew that she would never feel the same again after tonight, but she didn’t care. She was too crazed with desire and lust to care.

  She wanted to shatter beneath him. Give him her pleasure, her body…

  She didn’t know what to do with her traitorous, treacherous heart. Why was her heart hoping for more than one night with Caine? What could come of this?

  Nothing. Nothing at all.

  Tia threw back her head and screamed as she climaxed. She let herself drown in that fiery, churning pleasure, and she heard a tiny sob erupt from her.

  Her pussy squeezed tightly around Caine’s huge, throbbing cock as he took his release. He drew a long, ragged breath and very slowly withdrew from her body.

  Tia swallowed hard, trying her best to tamp down that strange, inexplicable feeling of emptiness and disappointment as their bodies separated.

  He was done.

  They were done.

  Caine draped his arms around her and murmured her name as he closed his eyes. Quietly, Tia pressed her hand against his heart and stared at his handsome face as he slept. She wanted to remember this night. Remember this beautiful stranger who had given her the best sex of her life.

  Once she was sure that Caine was fast asleep, Tia slipped out of bed and got dressed.

  It was time to leave.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Caine flung out his arm and felt the cold, empty sheets. Immediately, he snapped his eyes open and jerked up in bed.

  He stared at the rumpled sheets beside him and cursed.

  Tia was gone. She had left silently during the night while he was asleep.

  No woman had slipped out on him like this before. In fact, they were usually very reluctant to leave. They tried to tempt him back to bed and offered to stay or come back again the next night. But one night was all he wanted with them. One night stands were just that. Nothing more. Everyone understood the game and the rules.

  Tia clearly understood the rules. But the game had changed—for him.

  Shit, why had he fallen asleep? It was his own bloody fault!

  Granted, it had been a long, grueling day at work. And it had felt so wonderful holding Tia in his arms after he made love to her. He had felt so comfortable, so contented that he’d let his guard down.

  And now he had lost her.

  Caine jumped out of bed and looked around, hoping to find a piece of paper with her phone number scribbled on it. Most of the women did that. They hoped to hook up again, and take things a little further. But he usually crumpled the paper and threw it into the trash can right away. That was as far as they got. He had no interest in seeing any of those women again.

  But there was no scribbled note, no phone number, nothing. Tia hadn’t left anything behind. All her things were gone. Her clothes, her little bag, even her sweet scent was fading from the room.

  She was just gone.

  Caine snarled. He would track Tia down. He wasn’t going to let her go.

  Not when it had taken him a lifetime to find her.

  Caine glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost dawn. He went and grabbed a suit from the cupboard. He always left a few spare suits in his private suite. He sometimes did his work here, and slept here if Sarah was with his mother.

  After one final glance back at the bed, Caine turned and stepped into the bathroom. He growled as the soapy water sluiced down his body, washing away Tia’s scent from his skin.

  But he didn’t need her scent to remind him of her. Every detail of her was etched into his memory, his senses, his very being.

  It was almost as if she had become a part of him.

  Tia was his. She just didn’t know it yet.

  Caine dressed quickly and made his way up to his office. He started up the coffee machine and made himself a big, strong cup of coffee.

  Standing at his window, he watched the sun rise over the city and wondered where Tia was now
. Was she asleep or was she getting ready for work? Was she remembering their night together, or had she forgotten him already?

  That woman was intriguing and infuriating. Caine had never met anyone like her. There was a purity, a bright clean innocence about her. Yet she was guarded and cautious. She didn’t give him her number or her last name.

  Despite himself, Caine huffed out a laugh. She actually managed to give him the slip. He never saw that coming, did he?

  He had underestimated Tia. Like Tia, he relished a challenge. He admired and respected opponents who could give as good as they got, and Tia certainly was a smart, young woman who knew her own mind.

  He never thought he would meet his fated mate in a bar, have sex with her and lose her all in one night.

  He had been too complacent, too confident. But he couldn’t afford to be complacent with Tia.

  Tia wasn’t a woman who was easily impressed by his wealth, looks and status. She knew what she wanted, and she guarded her heart and privacy fiercely.

  She hadn’t left any number or email address. The woman had no intention of seeing him again.

  Maybe she was already planning another date for tonight.

  A beautiful, young single lady like her would have no lack of admirers and suitors.

  Caine snarled and almost hurled his coffee cup through the window. The thought of Tia with another man made his wolf and hackles rise.

  He would hunt her down and make sure he didn’t lose her this time. It was his own bloody fault. How could he have let her slip away from him?

  He would turn the situation around. He always did.

  Caine gulped down the rest of his coffee and went to his desk. He rolled up his sleeves and got right down to work. He would finish everything up and leave the office by mid-morning. He had a sexy, feisty, elusive brunette to hunt.

  With that in mind, Caine hunkered down and worked like a maniac. He worked with a laser-like focus and simply lost track of time. At a knock on his door, Caine scowled and jerked his head up.

  His secretary opened the door and announced, “Your new hire is here, Mr Taylor.”

  “So early?”

  “It’s eight-thirty,” his secretary answered, her eyes rounding slightly behind her glasses.

  Caine blinked. He had been working for three hours straight.

  “Send him in,” he said, waving his hand absently.

  “Her,” his secretary corrected. “Your new hire is a woman.”

  Caine frowned slightly. “What position is she interviewing for? I don’t remember...”

  “She’s your new bodyguard.”

  “Why would I need...” Caine began before stopping abruptly. He smiled and gave a curt nod. “Right. Of course. The bodyguard for Sarah.”

  He turned back to the file in front of him. “Send her in.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Tia reminded herself not to fidget as she stood in the waiting area outside the CEO’s office. She smoothed her hands down her black jacket and pants. Her gun was snugly nestled in her shoulder holster. Yup, she was armed and ready for action.

  Her instructions had been to report to the CEO of Treasure Hotel at eight-thirty in the morning. She glanced at her watch and saw that she was right on time. In fact, she was half a minute early.

  Tia blew out a breath slowly as she watched the tall bespectacled secretary enter the CEO’s office. The secretary had smiled pleasantly at Tia when she approached her desk. “Please wait while I let Mr Taylor know you’re here,” the secretary told Tia in a brisk, efficient tone as she got up and went to her boss’s office.

  Tia looked around the spacious waiting area. She had passed some security officers on the way in, and she recognized some of them from Chase Security. Would she be stationed here on the top floor, or at the ground floor near the hotel entrance?

  As she worried her lower lip, thoughts of Caine rose unbidden in her mind. She remembered how he had kissed her and made love to her. She could still taste him on her lips and her skin tingled at the memory of his touch.

  Last night had been so amazing. It had taken all her willpower and resolve to leave Caine. She wanted to stay in his arms forever and see that sexy, devastating smile every single day.

  Instead, she had grabbed her things, jumped into a cab and gone straight home. She had showered and lain awake for hours, her body still burning and aching. Caine had given her the most intense, incredible pleasure and yet her hunger for him wasn’t sated. In fact, he seemed to have awakened a gnawing, unrelenting hunger in her. She wanted him even more.

  She just couldn’t seem to get him out of her system. No matter how hard she tried to keep him out of her head, she just couldn’t stop thinking about him.

  What the hell was wrong with her? She wasn’t a delusional, clingy female. She would never mistake sex for love.

  They’d had a good time. And that was it. Caine had been a gentleman and a passionate lover. One night stands were fun, casual encounters, and she knew that she would probably never see Caine again.

  She shouldn’t harbor any hope that Caine would even remember her if they ever happened to meet again.

  “Mr Taylor will see you now,” the secretary announced brightly, breaking into her confusing, chaotic thoughts.

  “Thank you.” Tia straightened up smartly and held her head high. Geez, she was behaving like a lovesick schoolgirl. She would put Caine out of her mind once and for all. Last night was fun, but it was over.

  She was now here at the client’s office. She would do her job well and give the client no cause for complaint. This was her first day on the job and first impressions were important.

  The secretary smiled and held the door open for her. Tia stepped into the brightly lit, sprawling office and approached the large polished desk. She saw the CEO standing at the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to her. He was reading a document in his hand.

  The door closed behind her, and Tia blinked at the imposing, broad-shouldered figure of the CEO of Treasure Hotel. His white shirt stretched across his powerful frame and his sleeves were rolled up, showing tanned, strong arms. Her eyes widened and she froze.

  She had been in those very arms last night.

  Tia stared at his handsome, chiseled side profile and literally stopped breathing.

  Her eyes darted to the name plate on his desk.

  Caine Taylor, CEO.

  Caine.

  Her one night stand.

  Caine turned around, his hazel eyes locking on her. They stood staring at each other for a timeless moment before his lips curved.

  “Miss Tia Scott,” he drawled.

  “Mr Taylor,” she managed in a steady voice even as her heart lurched violently in her chest.

  Didn’t she wish she would see Caine again? Well, her wish had come true. Caine was right here, in front of her.

  Caine Taylor was her new client.

  Way to go, Tia, way to go.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Caine stared at the little brunette standing primly in his office, and he just couldn’t stop himself from breaking into a wide, delirious grin.

  She was right here. That enigmatic, elusive woman from last night, the female of his dreams!

  Caine drank in the sight of her greedily. Her brown hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail and there wasn’t a trace of makeup on her face. Her black jacket and pants fitted her petite frame snugly, and she was wearing sensible, low-heeled shoes. She looked sharp and professional, and so incredibly sexy.

  Tia was the bodyguard from Chase Security Inc.

  He owed Nathan big time for assigning Tia this job. Nathan could have sent over any one of his staff, but it was Tia he chose for this job.

  Caine knew Nathan Chase through a mutual business associate, and he had great respect for the guy. He’d picked up the phone and called Nathan about two weeks ago, asking if he could send one of his female bodyguards over. He’d specified his requirements and told Nathan that he understood that what he was requesting
wasn’t within the normal job scope for a bodyguard so he was willing to pay more. To his surprise, Nathan actually seemed delighted at his request and immediately assured him that he had just the person for the job.

  Caine realized he was still grinning like an idiot when Tia cleared her throat sharply.

  “Mr Taylor,” she repeated with a polite nod.

  All traces of surprise and embarrassment had vanished from her face. Tia’s breathing was now calm and even, and her expression unreadable and shuttered.

  Her bright gray eyes did a quick sweep of his room and returned to his face. She regarded him coolly, unflinchingly, waiting for his instructions.

  Caine was highly impressed. Tia was a great bodyguard. She had been unable to hide her initial shock and mortification when she first saw him in the office, but she had tamped down her surprise and discomfort swiftly and regained her focus and composure.

  She didn’t let her emotions interfere with her job. Instead, she snapped into her role quickly and focused on her responsibilities. She surveyed the surroundings, looking out for potential threats to her client.

  “Please, call me Caine,” he said. His body hardened at the memory of her crying out his name in ecstasy last night.

  “Yes, sir.” Tia inhaled and gave a sharp nod. “Caine.”

  Caine smirked and approached her slowly, relishing her sweet, familiar scent. He wanted to pull her into his arms and feel her soft body against his. But from the way Tia was holding herself, he knew that she would resist him vigorously.

  She was determined to remain detached and professional, and she didn’t seem to want to talk about what happened between them last night. Was she regretting it?

  Caine bit down a growl.

  He wanted to grab her and press her to him. He wanted to brand her with his kiss, take her and mark her to let the whole world know that this beautiful female was his.

  But looking at the hard, resolute, almost angry expression on her face right now, he knew that she wouldn’t appreciate being kissed in his office. It was clear she wanted to keep things professional between them.