“I was just about to call you,” he said. “I've got a lot of explaining to do.”
“Yes you do.” Magnus gave a deep sigh. It was the sound of defeat, but she had no idea why. She was very curious to hear what he had to say now.
“Can I have the honor of taking you to dinner?”
“Not if your taste in restaurants matches your taste in accommodation,” she said, allowing herself a small laugh.
“I'm really sorry about before. Hopefully it will all make sense when I explain it to you,” he said in a sheepish tone. She looked at her calendar. She was busy all day with subediting, and she’d also agreed to help the ads team out. There was no time that she could meet him during the working day. She’d have to meet him in the evening.
“Ok, how about we go for a drink, and I'll pick the place. I could meet you after work tomorrow. I know a cute little cocktail bar called Clementine’s. It’s on the outskirts of town. Can you meet me there around eight?”
“I could meet you anytime you like, and eight is perfect. I very much look forward to seeing you then, Andrea,” he said. His voice had turned to molasses again, and, against her will, a shiver ran all the way through her, from her toes to her heart. It’s just journalistic curiosity, she told herself firmly. Nothing more than that. But why does he have to be so goddamn sexy?
*
At 7.50pm the following day, Andrea pushed open the door of Clementine’s. She’d learned a good habit of being early for interviews, and it always paid off to see the subject enter the room and look around for her. She could tell what their energy was like – if they were on edge, or impatient. From that she knew whether she’d need to put them at their ease, or give them the impression that she was grateful to be interviewing them. She picked a table at the back of the room, but in perfect view of the door so Magnus would see her as soon as he walked in. Her stomach fizzed with anticipation. A tiny, tiny part of her was looking forward to meeting him again, she acknowledged to herself.
She ordered a coffee and looked around. It was a charming bar. She recalled what an arrogant ass she’d been when she’d met Melissa and Kristin there, and her cheeks burned. They’d always been sweethearts to her, even the snarky Kristin, and she’d treated them like crap over the years. It was only now that she was beginning to realize that acting superior didn’t make you superior. It made you the exact opposite. She’d only been back in Hope Valley for a couple of weeks, but she couldn’t believe how much her worldview was changing.
Dead on 8pm, Magnus strolled into the bar. As his eyes met hers, she felt like a laser beam was connecting the two of them. He strode over to her table.
“Andrea,” he said, and kissed her on the cheek. She picked up the scent of masculine clean skin, a trace of woodsmoky aftershave, and a definite hint of pinewood. It was a scent she wouldn’t mind smelling a lot more of. He sat directly opposite her and ordered a coffee too. He took a deep breath, and Andrea was startled to hear it catch in his throat. He feels awkward about this conversation? The thought was comforting to her.
“I should probably start at the beginning,” he said.
“That's how I like to begin my interviews,” she said. He coughed.
“Yes, of course. As I was saying yesterday, I moved to Hope Valley to find my mate. I’ve been a very successful businessman, in the financial field, for the past 13 years, and I’ve travelled the world, and been able to enjoy a lot of material luxuries. But I never managed to find my mate. And recently, that lifestyle had gotten stale. So I quit employment in favor of working for myself, and decided to move to Hope Valley to settle down and hopefully find my perfect match.” He took another deep breath and tented his fingers together. “When your profile came up on Shiftr as a 100% match, I should have been ecstatic. But I let my own stupidity and impetuosity take charge. When I saw the photos of you posing in what I thought was a corporate environment, I rebelled against them so strongly because I’d just dismissed that environment from my own life. I’ve spent my whole career being paid to make split-second decisions, and instead of taking some time to think, and maybe send you a message or two, like the foolish lion I am, I deleted your profile. Believe me, I do know how ridiculous that sounds.” Andrea nodded briefly, not wanting to interrupt the flow of his explanation.
“But it just so happens that you were sending me your lovely message at the same time that I right-swiped your profile, so I did see it, and I instantly realized my mistake, but it was too late. And then when I asked Tamika to add you back into my feed so I could message you, I saw that you’d deactivated your account. I hope very much that it wasn’t a result of my abysmal behavior.”
“It might have been,” she said drily. “But it gives me comfort to know that it was a misunderstanding, and you weren’t actually that much of a jerk.”
“Yes, it was absolutely a misunderstanding. And after I saw your message, and picked up on that fascinating streak of vulnerability beneath your feisty exterior, I was desperate to meet you. I had your first name, and knew that you were a journalist, so I went to the Hope Valley Echo, hoping I’d find you there.”
“You were at the office?”
“Yes,” he said, with a smile. “I ran into your boss – Kristin – a lovely woman.”
“She is.”
“And we made a plan for you to interview me, with the story that I was a new businessman in town. I could tell that she picked up right away that I was a shifter though, and I suspect she also knew that my interests in you were more than professional.”
“Hmm, she kept that one quiet!” Andrea said. “So, everything you’ve said makes sense on some kind of level, I guess. But what’s the deal with the shed?”
“Oh.” Magnus stopped and stared down at his hands. “The shed was a spectacular moment of dumbness. I’ve been living in a serviced apartment since I’ve been in Hope Valley, but I’ve long had a passion for living out in nature, away from the trappings of modern life, and get back to my shifter self, which has been suffocated in boardrooms for so long. And I wanted you to see me as that shifter. So, the day before the interview, I had the bright idea of buying the shack and turning it into a home.” Andrea burst out laughing.
“What an amazing idea!” she said. Embarrassment flashed through his eyes.
“Unfortunately, I hadn’t thought it through, so, when you asked what kind of business I was involved in, everything kind of fell apart. I thought you’d think that I was a fake if I told you that I was an independent trader.”
“That explains why you were so prickly.”
“Right. And you were prickly because you thought I was the jerk who’d rejected you.” Andrea nodded. He looked into her eyes, his burning with golden intensity. “Nothing could be further from the truth, Andrea. I was struck dumb by your beauty when I saw you stepping out of your car.”
“Really?” she said, before she could stop herself. He nodded.
“More than anyone I’ve seen in my life before. And then everything went so wrong. I should’ve told you what happened with Shiftr, instead of continuing with the charade of an interview.”
“Mm hmm.”
“I hope it’s not too late to make amends. I was really hoping that we could go on a date, a real date, and get to know each other better.” Andrea gave him a long look.
“Part of me is thinking yes, I’d really like that. But the other part is telling me pretty loud and clear that I’ve had enough heart ache lately, and I can’t take any more.” The emotion that she picked up in Magnus’s eyes was pain. She frowned in confusion.
“Andrea, it wouldn’t be like that. It wouldn’t be a question of if I like you when I get to know you. You’re my mate. I know it.” Her heart gave a little jump.
“How can you know that?” Magnus released a deep roar of laughter.
“If you knew what my lion was doing inside me right now, you wouldn’t ask.”
“What is it doing?” she asked, intrigued.
“It’s pushing me to ma
te with you, to claim you as my own.” She let out a small gasp. “I know that sounds direct. But that’s what we shifters are like. It’s urging me to make the connection, that unbreakable bond. It’s more that sex; it’s a fusing of minds and bodies, forever.”
“That sounds pretty cool,” she said. She registered that her voice sounded calm and detached, although she felt anything but. There was a whirlwind tearing around inside her, along with a niggling little ache between her thighs. She was strongly attracted to Magnus. Who wouldn’t be? He was every woman’s dream. He had the most gorgeous eyes and the most kissable lips she’d ever seen. And hearing that he wanted her too blew her mind. She didn’t dare to believe it. She was almost waiting for someone to pop up from under the table and yell gotcha!
“As a compromise, can I buy you a drink, and we can sit and talk and discover what we have in common?” he said.
“Ok.” He broke into a grin.
“What would you like?”
“Surprise me,” she said.
He went to the bar and came back with two glasses of Champagne.
“You did well,” she said coolly, taking the glass from him.
“To you and I getting to know each other: take two,” he said, and they clinked glasses.
“I want to know all about you,” he said, eyes wide with unaffected interest. “Like, why did you decide to move back to Hope Valley, for starters?” Andrea bit her lip. As much as she didn’t want to tell him her whole sorry tale, she knew that she owed him something.
“I worked as a journalist for the New York Metro for years, but I lost my way a bit. I got overconfident in my abilities, which made me lazy and complacent. And I got fired. I deserved it. To be honest, it sent me into a tailspin. I needed to be applying for other jobs, but I kept having panic attacks. My rent was due and I couldn’t pay it, so I did the only thing I could do – move back here.” Magnus’s eyes narrowed.
“Sounds like this could be a temporary move then?” She shook her head firmly.
“Not at all. I’ve learned some very important things about myself in the last couple of weeks, and Hope Valley is where I want to be, permanently. Things aren’t easy at the moment. Kristin has been kind enough to take me on as a subeditor, which I’m so grateful for. But it doesn’t pay very much. I’m living at my parents’ place, and they’re not making it easy for me. They’re so, so disappointed in me. They wanted me to be their golden girl, and for a long time, they thought I was, but it was all a façade. I wasn’t happy in New York. I think I’ve always been a small-town girl, however much I’ve tried to deny it.”
“You were a good journalist, weren’t you?” he asked. She nodded uncertainly.
“I won Investigative Reporter of the Year for three years running.”
“That’s incredible,” he said, respect showing in his eyes.
“It was great, at the time. But you do burn out. It’s emotionally exhausting. All the difficult questions you need to ask. All the nights you spend away from home. I’m so glad I did it, but those days are behind me now.”
“It’s a nice coincidence that we’ve met when we’re at exactly the same point in our lives,” he said.
“Except that I’ve come to this point the hard way, and you’ve made a conscious lifestyle choice.” She paused. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound prickly.”
“There’s no need to apologize,” he said. Her hand was resting on the table, and he took it and engulfed it in his own. “I can see that you’ve had a very hard time lately. But I think that’s about to change.” He held her gaze, and the combination of the touch of his hand, and his unwavering stare made her shudder. Heat was flooding her body. She yearned for him to hold her, to crush her against his huge, masculine body, and make her feel small and protected. And then she wanted him to kiss her. Her gaze flickered to his lips, and she imagined how they’d feel pressed against her own, how soft and velvety his tongue would be.
“I want to kiss you so badly right now,” he said. Her cheeks warmed. It was as if he’d read her thoughts. He was looking at her intensely, waiting for her assent. She tilted her jaw towards him, and, at once, his mouth was on hers. His lips were softer and warmer than she’d imagined and his stubble grazed her face deliciously. He touched her jaw with gentle fingertips, getting to know the shape of her face as he continued to kiss her. The tip of his tongue flickered over her lips, tasting her. It was unspeakably erotic. She wanted more. She wanted to twist her hands in his hair, and pull him closer, to force him to slip his tongue deep into her mouth. But they were in the middle of a neighborhood bar. And she was getting way too turned on. She broke away from the kiss and looked around guiltily. But the place was almost empty, and if the bartender had noticed, he was doing a good job of hiding it.
“I’m sorry,” he said, with a laugh. “I got a little carried away there.”
“I have to go,” she said. He looked wounded.
“Really?”
“Yes. I’m sorry. I’ve got to finish up a couple of things for work.” It wasn’t a lie. She still had a couple of hours of editing left to do before she went to bed that night. But more than that, she was scared of getting carried away with him. A few seconds more, and she would’ve been at the point of begging him to take her to bed. And she wasn’t ready for that. She hadn’t had sex for more than a year, and she suddenly felt as inexperienced as if it was her first time.
“You don’t have time for a quick dinner?”
“No, I really can’t. My plan was to have a sandwich while I was working at my parents’ kitchen table.”
“Ok. Fair enough,” he said, making no attempt to hide the disappointment in his voice. “But would you like my number?”
“Of course,” she said, and they swapped numbers.
“I go this way,” she said, when they were out on the sidewalk.
“And I go this way,” he pointed in the opposite direction. “But I’ll walk you to your car.”
“No. It’s ok. That’s not my thing,” she said firmly. He raised an eyebrow.
“Is this your thing?” he said, and, at the same moment, he pushed her against the wall of the bar and crushed his mouth against hers. She gasped at the shock and the feeling of his body pressing against her. Those incredible pecs, his strong, muscular arms. She ran her hands over his biceps as he kissed her hard, possessing her mouth with his long, agile tongue. She let out a small sound, yielding to him. He was making her dizzy. She wouldn’t be surprised if she was wet already. Her body was screaming for him to take her. His hand slid beneath her coat and ran up and down her back, over her waist and hip. It came to rest an inch below her breast, and she badly wanted him to cup it, to pinch her aching nipple between finger and thumb. Unconsciously, she moved to the left a little, and, as his thigh slipped between her legs, she had to stifle a moan.
“Stop!” the sensible voice in her brain told her.
“Ok, I really have to go now,” she said breathlessly, tearing herself away from him. He straightened up, adjusting his clothes.
“Goodnight, Andrea. I hope to see you soon. Whenever, you’re ready, please call me.” Reluctantly, they turned away from each other and walked off in their separate directions.
Chapter Nine
Magnus couldn’t sleep. It had been two days since he’d seen Andrea and experienced the most intense kiss of his life. It had been so passionate, so soul searching that he knew he never wanted to kiss anyone else again. His relentless hunger for women had shriveled away overnight. When he walked the streets now, he barely noticed a pretty face or a hot body. All he wanted was Andrea. He yearned to take her to bed and get his hands on her full curves. He wanted to kiss that tender, provocative mouth again, while he lay on top of her, pushed himself deep inside her, their bodies melding into one. This was the reason why he couldn’t sleep. He was sick with desire. It was all-consuming. His lion was prowling around relentlessly, not allowing him a moment’s respite. His hand slid down and encircled his thick shaft. He was har
d, as he’d been almost constantly for days now. He thought of Andrea’s lips, the sweet curves of her hips; he imagined how full her breasts would be, and how good her nipples would feel in his mouth. Seconds later he came, wasting his seed, yet again. At last, he fell into a heavy slumber, which wasn’t broken until mid-morning.
When Magnus got up, he checked his phone, as he did first thing every day, hoping that Andrea had messaged him. He was expecting to be disappointed again, so, when he saw that there was a new message from her, he did a double take. It said:
“Are you free this afternoon? I thought we could go for a walk or something.”
His lion let out a roar and he whooped. Of course he was free! His diary was wide open for Andrea. In fact, he had a couple of phone meetings, but he’d cancel them. He hovered over his third meeting of the day. This one was pleasure, rather than business, and maybe he could incorporate it in the date somehow. His heartbeat sped up with excitement. Yes; he liked this idea a lot. He messaged Andrea back:
“Hi Andrea, I’m absolutely free, and I’d love to go for a walk with you. I do have one errand to run though, in the national park, as luck would have it, so, if you wouldn’t mind, we could incorporate it in the walk?”
She messaged back within half an hour saying that was fine, and they arranged to meet at 3pm.
Somehow, in the last couple of days, spring had begun. The park had lost its wintry starkness, and some of the bare branches were showing tiny shoots of green. The sky was a clear, pale blue, and the air was thick with the smell of animals that were crawling out of hibernation. His lion pawed at his insides, frustrated that he was in the woods and he wasn’t shifting. He hushed it, told it to behave. When it continued to pace and snarl, he warned it that if it messed things up and got him too horny and heated in front of Andrea, he’d never let it out again. He knew it wasn’t true, of course, but the warning was enough to make it throw itself down in a sulk. From time to time, it picked up the scent of potential prey, then gave derisory snorts. The animals that had been asleep all winter were too skinny to be worth bothering about.
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love (Andrea) BBW Lion Shifter Romance (Hope Valley BBW Dating App Romance Book 4) Page 7
