by K. S. Martin
“Sure, why not? I want to get a shower, it’s been a trying day, but I can come over when I’m finished. Okay?” He smiled with what was that in his eyes? Hope? Desire? Something was there. Tina followed him up the stairs lagging behind on purpose so he would go up first. “Twenty minutes?” She said when they got to the apartment doors. He nodded and let himself inside while she did the same. Tina leaned on the door once inside. Maybe he wasn’t such an ass after all. And he’d kissed her. That was nice, surprising, and yes, nice. What was the at ear thing? That had made her tremble and had soaked her core. Tina almost thought that she could let herself want him if it weren’t for Luca.
***
She would be here soon. His mate. How do you explain that to a human? Especially one that doesn’t trust you. She may not believe in werewolves and might just think he was crazy. Mac put the beans into the coffee grinder and pressed the button counting to fifteen like the clerk told him too. She liked coffee, loved it in fact, he’d gathered. The clerk at the store recommended this grinder and coffee maker then explained in depth how to prepare the perfect cup of coffee. Mac had taken notes. First, it was a full city roast Arabica then a fifteen second grind in a drip maker with filtered water at one hundred ninety degrees. Her happiness was that important to him. Cassie told him that Tina’s favorite was Arabica so he bought that. It took a few minutes at the store to figure out that Arabica was not a brand but a bean. Thank god for helpful and knowledgeable sales people. Mac liked coffee but he was just as happy with a cup of instant as he was a cup of fancy coffee that cost five bucks. He could hear the shower running next door and lust shot through his midsection. The thought of that sweet delectable derriere naked just on the other side of the wall was almost more than he could take. Keeping the beast calm was becoming a full time job. In the past it had been relatively easy most days to keep it quiet and happy. A run in the woods or a roll in the hay would quiet it, but since it scented her on the fudge pop, it was becoming impossible. He was nearly thirty and alpha, it wanted to mate, to blood bond and to have pups not to mention regular sex. Regular meant often not necessarily missionary. The water was off now. She was less than three feet away but on the other side of a damned wall. The coffee was brewing now and he brought out two brand new cups with saucers. They were plain white bone china with a coffee colored pin stripe around the rim, the saucer matched. The clerk said they were the perfect shape and size to promote flavor. Mac had the feeling that it was BS but bought them anyway, after all what did he know about dishes? There was a knock at his door a few minutes later and his heart beat a little faster. Was he nervous? Yes. She would be in his personal space. He planned that they would sit on the balcony on the elegant yet comfortable patio furniture that he’d purchased with her in mind. The table between the two chairs was very small, so their distance would be minimal, but it would hold wine glasses or coffee cups. He moved to the door and opened it.
He’d changed his clothes and had he showered as well? His hair had been combed and the fresh navy tee shirt was tight across his well formed chest. “Hi. Um is the coffee ready?” Tina asked feeling uncomfortable and a little shy.
“Almost sweetheart, come in.” She inhaled sharply. No one called her that except Luca, and Luca called everyone that, except ‘two scoops.’ She was either ‘two scoops’ or sugar muffin, Tina liked that one and of course sugar lips. That one made Darla blush every single time and Luca would laugh until he cried. Mac opened the door to let her pass through. “How was your shower?” He asked and grinned still thinking about her being naked on the other side of his wall.
“Oh, fine. I hurried, just the thought of coffee speeds me up.” She smiled and looked around. He’d hung pictures already and had plants, a lot of plants like he lived outside or something. She glanced into his bedroom, the curtains matched his duvet, and the furniture looked antique and well taken care of.
“Family heirlooms.” He watched her looking around. “The rest is in storage.” She made a face.
“The rest?” She was looking at a picture of a picnic from his childhood.
“I have enough furniture to fill a large house, all inherited from family. She nodded.
“I have a house that I inherited.” She gave a little grin. “Well, they gave it to me when they retired and went south. I got the bakery too. I guess you could say I inherited their lives.” She laughed lightly and nervously. He brought her the perfect cup of coffee, he hoped. He wanted to make her smile like his brother had.
“I thought that we would sit on the balcony and people watch. I got some great patio furniture to put out there. I love the outdoors. The balcony was the main reason I rented this apartment. I like to sleep with plenty of outside air. So, is that what you wanted? To inherit their lives?” Tina sipped the warm heaven and closed her eyes. The corners of her mouth lifted happily and she breathed its scent deeply, she moaned a little and he was instantly rock hard. “How did I do?” Mac choked out.
“It’s perfect. Did you roast this yourself?” Mac would have no idea how to do that. The internet could provide direction if he really needed to know, but it was probably best to leave it up the coffee experts that put it in the bag.
“Uh no. I ground it and put it in the machine. So you like it?” Her eyes were like the calm sea and she nodded. “Good, come out onto the balcony and relax. Luca mentioned that you’d had a trying week. I hope that I can make up for any part of that I caused.” He grimaced.
“This almost covers it. Did I want to inherit their lives you asked? I told my dad when I was little that I wanted to grow up and run his bakery for him so he didn’t have to work so hard. He took that ball and ran with it. Next thing I know I’m in training. I learned and could do all of it by the time that I was twelve. It didn’t leave much time for anything else. I wanted to go to France and Italy after college, he wouldn’t let me. He’d been training his replacement for twenty years and he was ready to retire and to sleep in he said.” She smiled up at him and walked out onto the balcony. The furniture was wrought iron with deep comfortable taupe colored cushions. There were more plants, leafy, exotic, and tropical looking plants. “You have a real green thumb. How do you find time to take care of all of them? I kill everything that I plant.” Tina sifted the delicate fronds through her fingers and Mac had thoughts of her running her fingers through his hair that way.
“It’s not hard.” He gazed at her. “Besides my rudeness, stupidity, clumsiness…”Tina giggled. Oh, he liked that sound. It tightened parts of him and made the wolf pant. “What else happened to you this week?” He watched her and she wiggled a little in her seat.
“My house was flooded when I got home yesterday. The dishwasher malfunctioned and the whole bottom floor is soaked. Thank god I don’t have a basement.” She rolled her eyes. “You said that you work for a company that does restoration?” He nodded. “Are you working on Lane Road?” Mac pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes.
“I’m really not sure. I could call my brother and ask if you really want to know.” She was shaking her head. “If we are, I promise we will do a great job for you.” She smiled at that and sipped her coffee.
“This is really nice.” She murmured. “Do you need a refill?” She drained her cup and stood up moving in through the French doors.
“No. Help yourself though. One cup is my limit this late in the evening. If I drink anymore I won’t sleep.” Tina filled her cup and returned to sit beside him. He’d pulled her chair a little closer. She used strawberry shampoo and every time she moved the breeze would carry the scent to him driving his wolf crazier. It felt like the damn thing was growling and prancing while it whispered –mine-mine-mine. Take her, claim her, mate her, bond her and mark her. Mine. Down boy. One step at a time. We will have her. We must hurry before she is claimed by another.
“So the shop seems different than it was when I was a kid. Mom used to come in here and get things sometimes.
“My father was a traditional baker and believed in a tra
ditional bakery. There was no display case with the treats or the coffees. I added all of that. I found bread, bagels, and birthday cake limiting. I knew we could do so much more and that the sweet treats and coffees would be successful. My parents turned a profit, don’t get me wrong but I turn a better one. My dad says it’s the fancy education that his boring bakery paid for and that in thirty years, the coffee might pay for the college.” She grinned when Mac laughed. Tina bit her bottom lip and her eyes sparkled. For the first time ever, she was having a good time with a man that wasn’t Luca. She watched him inhale deeply, watched the large pectorals expand, she trembled and wondered if she was boring him. Her brows furrowed and she looked down into her cup again.
“What’s wrong?” Mac asked noticing her moods sudden shift. She shook her head.
“I guess I should be getting home. I have some things to do.” Mac’s eyes narrowed.
“What do you need to do? Maybe I can help.” He watched her, his face hopeful. Maybe she wasn’t boring him. He wouldn’t offer if she was, he didn’t seem like he would go out of his way to do something just to be polite but he had surprised her at every turn.
“I usually spend Saturday nights concocting new recipes. I can’t use my own kitchen, but the bakery kitchen isn’t being used tonight so I thought I would figure out the cardamom thing from earlier.” She glanced up at him. He nodded.
“So I can help you figure out how much to put in it?” He offered her a hand as he stood. Tina took it and let him help her up. He pulled her flush against himself. Mentally he noted how nicely her body fit to his. His hand came up to cradle the back of her head and his other was pressed into the small of her back. “I want to kiss you Tina. Would that be okay?” Tina swallowed. Her breaths increased and her heart beat fluttered at the base of her neck as her eyes dilated with desire. He didn’t wait for her answer. His lips brushed lightly across hers until she responded. His tongue traced the seam of her lips and she let him inside. He explored the sweet cavern of her mouth, tested the smoothness of her teeth and she moaned. Mac’s long fingers spread out over her lower back pulling her snugly against him. Tina’s hands rested on his biceps her fingers curling anxiously. She was lost in him. Her thoughts whirled and her skin was alive and tingling. Tina felt his fingers tangle in her hair and she moaned again. He was so big and strong against her. His body was warm and hard. Mac was trailing kisses across her cheek, over her jaw and down her neck. Why couldn’t this have happened back in high school? His hand kneaded her breast as hers explored his shoulders and strong collar bones. “I want you Tina.” He murmured in her ear as he nibbled her lobe. His deep voice rumbled all the way to her core and she shivered at the tingles that raced up her spine. Wait. What? He wanted her? That wasn’t right, she’d heard wrong. Mister all popular, all gorgeous did not want plain old nerdy fat ass Tina. “Are you okay? You left me there for a minute.” Mac was watching her, gauging her reaction. “Tina?” She glanced up at him and nibbled her bottom lip. “Sweetheart, if you don’t want to, we don’t have to. If you aren’t ready for this… if it’s too soon…” She nodded almost imperceptibly and Mac moved away from her. “Don’t look like that honey,” Mac saw the wet sheen in her eyes. “I understand.” Tina stood there shifting from foot to foot not sure what she should do now. Had she really just turned this beautiful man down? Why did she? Oh yeah, Luca. But this man was everything she’d ever lusted after. She felt like she should explain but he seemed okay with it, he didn’t seem angry at all like she would’ve thought he should be. Mac sat on the edge of the sofa and pulled her down next to him. “Now tell me what happened. When we were on the balcony you were very responsive but once we got in here you closed up on me.” Tina stared at her feet. “You don’t have to answer me, it’s okay. Let’s go downstairs and figure out the cardamom thing. Can I be in the kitchen? Luca said it was a problem with the insurance.”
“I don’t see why not, you aren’t going to be in there when we’re preparing food for customers so as long as you don’t get hurt, you’re fine. You don’t plan on getting hurt and suing me do you?” She grinned up at him. The distress that he’d noted a moment ago was gone. He shook his head and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I’m sorry.” She worried her lip and he watched her, entranced. “About before,” Tina looked up at him. “I don’t know what happened…” She grimaced when one of his eyebrows rose. “Okay.” She blew out a breath in a hiss. “My thoughts ran away with me and I was just thinking that you are so good looking,” she felt the blood rush to her face and heat it all the way into her hair. “I just wondered why you would be interested in me.” She finished on a whisper. His chest rumbled and it almost sounded like a growl Tina thought and her gaze jerked up at him. She did not know this man very well but she knew what angry looked like and he was pissed. Her brows furrowed and she moved to get up. Mac pulled her back down to the sofa and went to his knees at her feet.
“Don’t you ever think you are anything less than perfect sweetheart. You are an amazing, intelligent, beautiful woman.” Tina’s eyes misted again.
“Thanks that’s really nice Mac.” She started to get up again and he stilled her with his hands on her thighs.
“No.” His eyes were intent on hers and she swallowed. “You don’t believe it, or you don’t believe that I believe it. I do mean that baby. I think every one of those things about you. I’m not saying that because of what just happened and if it never happens, I will still think it. But just know that I really want it to happen.” His gaze never left hers and Tina swallowed. “Now I want you to say it. Tell me that you are an amazing, intelligent, and beautiful woman. Then I want you tell me that you are a sexy woman.” Tears oozed over her cheeks and she shook her head. “We can stay here all night just like this until you say it. His cell phone rang in his pocket and she glanced down. He made no move to reach for it. His hands were resting on her hips and he didn’t look away from her eyes. “Tell me.” She shook her head again. “Tell me.” He growled. Her brows knitted and she shifted nervously in her seat. “I’m waiting.” He said after a pause then stayed silent looking up into her face. Tina’s face flushed several shades of crimson before she finally whispered the words that he wanted to hear. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath. “Lovely.” Mac leaned up on his haunches and kissed her sweetly. “Let’s go figure out the cardamom thing.” He grinned at her. Tina watched him cross the room and turn his coffee pot off then close the balcony doors. “Come.” He held his hand out to her and she hurried across the room and took it then followed him downstairs.
Chapter 4
Tina pulled whipping cream, chocolate morsels, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and coffee powder out of her pantry. She poured the whipping cream into the mixer and set it to whip. “I think the chocolate was the dominant flavor, do you agree?” Mac was standing off to her right behind her wondering why Luca had come back in here. Mac could scent him. It was fresh and strongest near the office. Something was off about that guy. Mac was getting bad vibes from him. He watched over her shoulder. He nodded at what she asked. She popped the morsels into the microwave with a teaspoon of oil to melt the chocolate then waited until it cooled before drizzling it into the whipped cream. “It was almost a Chai tea taste.” Tina mused. “Do you think?” He shrugged. What the hell was that? Mac wondered. He knew what iced tea was. “I think this might get it.” She added the other spices and gave it a taste. “Oh,” Tina groaned. “Mine’s better.” She lifted the spoon to his mouth and let him taste. He gave her a surprised look and his eyebrows stretched up high.
“I’m not sure. I think I should taste that again.” Tina lifted the spoon to his mouth as she giggled. He took it and gazed into her eyes. She was so beautiful. Mac leaned down and kissed her. It was languorous and lust filled. Tina whimpered and dropped the spoon as he pushed her against the counter. Mine, mine, mine. Mate her. Claim her. Bond her. Mac broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers but kept his eyes closed. Fool. He took a deep breath and opened hi
s eyes. Her eyes were still closed and she was nibbling her bottom lip. “I think that was incredible.” Her eyes sprung open. “The kiss and the…what are you going to call it?” Tina cocked her head and studied the ceiling for a moment.
“Mac’s wet dream.” She grinned and he shook his head.
“That’s you, not a dessert.” She looked shocked and he laughed. Adorable. “How about Chai dream? You said that it tasted like Chai, right?” Tina was still recovering from his comment but smiled softly and nodded.
“I think I will put it in dark chocolate cups.” She went to the fridge and pulled some out. They already had one treat served in these so they were on hand. Tina spooned the mousse into the cups and put them into the fridge. “I will have my staff taste them and then we will vote.” She went into the office and scribbled the contents of the Chai dream down on a sheet of paper so she didn’t forget what she’d done, once she’d made it two or three times she wouldn’t need the recipe. Mac watched her for a moment then gathered everything on the work surface and carried it to the sink. “You don’t have to do that.” She called over to him.
“I don’t mind sweetheart. I am happy to help.” Mac smiled at her and carried the small mixer back to its place on the shelf. His cell rang in his pocket again and he pulled it out to look at the screen. “Owen.” Mac answered and wandered out of the kitchen. He went into the store part of the bakery to sit at a table in the darkness where she could see him but could not hear his conversation. Tina wiped the work surface that she’d used and then cleaned the equipment while he talked. “What’s up brother?”
“I told you before that we needed to talk? Why didn’t you answer earlier?” Owen barked.
