Having Lindsey with him had created an awkward meeting. He’d just been thankful everyone had respected the likely fact she still knew nothing about their kind. He could read their understanding in each of their eyes, even Kara’s.
“She’s a great woman,” Trevor continued, lowering his voice an octave. After all, the women were just in the other room.
“That’s a fact.” Alejandro smiled. “Yes, I knew as soon as I came around the corner and ran into her cart with mine in the grocery store yesterday. She thought it had been an accident, but I had picked up her scent from the next aisle. It was the only way I could think to engage her and still keep it as normal as possible.” He took a deep breath. “You’ve obviously been through this before. When did you tell Kara? How? Thank God I have you guys to help me out.” He gave a one-sided grin and looked into both their eyes, praying he was right in assuming they wouldn’t leave him high and dry.
“Absolutely.” Justin slapped his shoulder. “We are right there with you, man. Anything you need, it’s yours. Space. Time. Help… A room.” He laughed.
“God, how I need a room. I don’t think she’d appreciate that, however. Not this quickly at least. Maybe tomorrow?” He looked at them for confirmation. “How long before I can reasonably expect her to, um, accept all this and let me make love to her?”
“That’s about right. I think we had Kara between the two of us within forty-eight hours. It’s nearly impossible to avoid much longer than that. Unless you like blue balls,” Trevor joked. “Besides, she needs you as bad as you need her. She just doesn’t realize why. It helps her cave faster.”
“Dios, I need a cold shower.” Alejandro reached to run his hands through his thick hair, pulling it back from his face in frustration.
“I feel your pain.” Justin looked at him with sympathy. “We had ourselves a few of those that first night, and the second.”
“And it doesn’t get better after you claim her either. Not sure if you’ve been around many people during a mating, but the frenzy is out of this world.” Trevor punched his arm lightly.
“Seriously?” He stared back into the faces of his newfound best friends, feeling the fear etched into his brow. “Tell me you’re kidding.”
“Wish I could, but no,” Justin added. “After we took Kara, we didn’t come up for air very often for the better part of a week. And that’s not just you, dude. Lindsey won’t be able to stand much separation either. She’ll go into a heat of sorts and need you inside her to the point of exhaustion. Best damn tired I’ve ever felt.”
Alejandro groaned aloud and then suddenly straightened to his full height, his senses on high alert. “What’s that? Or shall I say, who?” He tipped his head back and sucked in a long breath. Something was off. Lindsey. Without a second thought, he turned and made his way toward the kitchen, Trevor and Justin on his heels.
“That’s just Ryan, my brother. He pops in unannounced all the time. Don’t worry.” The words made their way through the atmosphere and into Alejandro’s ears, but they did nothing to sooth his unease.
He paused at the entrance to the kitchen and turned to the others, aiming a narrow gaze at Justin. “That is not … just … your brother.”
“Huh?”
With no explanation, Alejandro barreled into the room, chest heaving. He stopped dead in his tracks, just inside the entrance, breathing like he’d run a hundred miles to get to that point.
Trevor and Justin pushed past him, squaring off around the room as they did.
The four men stood equally spaced around the huge kitchen, the newcomer behind the island, Lindsey trapped in the center of their standoff. Alejandro saw her head snapping around at each man, confusion worrying her brow, but he had to ignore her for now and locked his gaze on Ryan.
Fuck. This can’t be happening. Of all the godforsaken bad luck. You have to be shitting me.
“That’s what I was just thinking, asshole.”
Alejandro flinched as though he’d been punched in the gut and took a step back, nearly falling through the door when Ryan spoke into his mind.
He knew mates communicated with each other easily after a claiming, but he’d known nothing whatsoever about this arrangement. Was completely unprepared.
All four men stood frozen in their spots, none of them sure what to expect next. Breaths were drawn and exhaled around the room, reverberating so loudly he wanted to plug his ears with his hands. Or maybe it was Ryan’s thoughts that clouded his mind and made his skin crawl.
“Fuck you. I was here first.” Alejandro couldn’t catch his breath.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Congratulations. Do you think that makes you the winner?”
How long could they stand here in an essential stare down?
“Alejandro?” A soft voice broke through the ringing in his head. He jerked his gaze from Ryan to Lindsey. Her expression spoke volumes about his behavior. Her gaze roamed his body from head-to-toe.
He glanced down and tried to see himself through her eyes. A crazy man ready for a fight, itching to punch someone, anyone. His fists were gripped. His feet spread apart. He knew his jaw was squared. She’d never seen him like this. Hell, he’d never even been like this before. This … angry. He wasn’t usually one to pick a fight, or even dislike anyone.
Joder. Now what the fuck was he going to do?
“Don’t start cussing at me in Spanish, asshole, or I’ll arrange for you to have a new one.”
Choosing to ignore the jibe from Ryan, Alejandro returned his attention to Lindsey.
“Would someone please tell me what’s going on?” She said it like the question was up for grabs, but she didn’t glance away from Alejandro. It was his responsibility to fix this. He knew that. But he also needed to speak to Ryan. Now. Alone.
“Lindsey,” he cleared his throat, “would you please give me a minute to talk to Justin’s brother. Outside.” He directed the question to her, but the goal was to light a fire under Ryan and get him out of this room. Far away from Lindsey.
“Guys. Guys. Calm down. There’s no need to panic. Let’s discuss this calmly.” Kara stepped between everyone, into the middle of the circle. Her tiny frame could no more have stopped four heated wolves than she could have moved a mountain, but somehow Alejandro knew the sun set and rose around this woman for everyone else in the room. He would be treading on thin ice if he crossed her, or even considered the idea.
“Who’s mad? I’m not mad.” He tried to regain his composure. Shook his arms at his sides and released the fists that had caused his fingernails to dig into his palms.
“What is going on?” Lindsey’s voice rose and she held her hands in the air, jumping from her perch on a kitchen stool.
No one moved.
“What? Somebody please explain why there is enough testosterone-filled tension in this room to rival a bus of football players.”
“Honey,” Kara began, “let’s you and me go in the other room.”
“Don’t.” Like clockwork, both Alejandro and Ryan uttered the simple word simultaneously.
It burned Alex to realize they agreed on something. He didn’t see it happening again anytime soon. But at least they were on the same page about one thing. No one but them was going to fill Lindsey in on the details of her own future.
“Outside?” Ryan motioned toward the door before speaking again aloud. “Kara, please, please, please give us a minute. This is our story to tell. No one else’s.”
“Of course.” Instead of dragging Lindsey to the living room, Kara opted to sit next to her and pull her back onto the stool. “Anyone care to swap their water for vodka?” she jested without smiling.
“Look, boys,” Lindsey twisted her body to glare at Alex and Ryan over her shoulder, “obviously you two know each other or something, and I can’t even conjure a reason why this has anything to do with me, but hear me when I say I won’t be sitting here when you get back inside if either of you throws a punch. Got it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” they stated once ag
ain in unison.
The minute Alejandro shut the door behind him, he propped his ass against the side of the house and leaned over at the waist, lowering his head to avoid hyperventilating. Does that even work?
“I have no idea. But I’m all for trying.”
He jerked back upright. “Can you stay out of my head for one fucking second?”
“No more than you can stay out of mine.”
“Point taken.”
Ryan started to pace, pulling his hands through his hair enough times to rip it out. “How did this happen?”
“I don’t know. But the better question is ‘what do we do about it now?’”
“Two minutes ago I was a wild and crazy bachelor about to head out for the evening. In fact, shit, my brother Charles is waiting for me. I just stopped by to borrow a CD, not pick up a mate … and a fucking male life-mate for God’s sake.”
“Yeah, this wasn’t on my list for this evening either. I was on a perfectly wonderful date with said mate and having the best night of my life.”
“Have you two…?”
“No. Though I’m not sure I don’t regret it now. I hadn’t planned on sharing the experience with anyone, especially someone I’ve never even met.”
“Well, there’s something else we agree on.” Ryan resumed pacing. “Ryan Masters, by the way.” He didn’t go so far as to offer a handshake.
“Alejandro Ramos.” His hands stayed on his thighs also.
“What do we do now?”
“Damned if I know. Perhaps we should ask Justin and Trevor, although from what Lindsey has told me, this is hardly a comparable situation.”
“No, definitely not. Those two have been together and shared their women since they were teenagers.” He physically shook—his entire body jerking in front of Alex’s eyes. “I’ve no intention of ever rubbing my dick up against yours. Just so we’re clear.”
That broke the ice. Alejandro started laughing and couldn’t stop. “Nor I yours,” he managed to sputter. “Though I have enjoyed a few ménages, I haven’t ever gone both ways, as you Americans call it.”
“At least we’re clear on that.”
Sobered, they stared at each other for a full minute. “I thought you were going to punch me in there.”
“I might have if Lindsey hadn’t…”
“True. Can’t say I hadn’t considered it myself. Um, we better go back inside before our sweet mate drags information out of Kara she has no business knowing tonight.”
“Yeah, God it’s going to be a long night of cold showers.” Ryan walked toward the back door with his head down.
“You aren’t kidding. At least you haven’t known that for the last four hours. I was already planning on it. She’s too innocent to spring this on her so fast.”
“Let’s drop her off. Go for a long run in the woods and sleep on it. We can figure things out tomorrow, and then lay it on that sexy little demon we’ve landed.”
“’Kay.”
*
The door opened and two defeated-looking, cordial sex gods wandered back inside, tails between their legs.
Lindsey hadn’t gleaned one tiny piece of information from Kara in all the time these two idiots had been outside facing off.
“So?”
“We’re sorry.” Ryan spoke first.
“That’s it? You’re sorry?” She threw her hands up in the air in defeat and stood. “Kara? Would you take me home? Please.” Maybe she could get more out of her in the car.
“I think I better stay out of this one. But, you should know that I love you to pieces and I’ll always be there for you.”
“I need you now, Kara. What do you mean, no?”
Alejandro spoke next. “Lindsey, we uh… There’s a lot we need to tell you, but we think it would be better for you if we just took you home tonight. We need some time to ourselves. Hell, you probably do too.”
“We? Who is this we? Alejandro? I came here with you. So you could meet my friends. Some of whom you seem to have already met. I get that there’s some bad blood between you and Ryan for whatever reason, though I can’t imagine why. And if you want to keep it to yourself for now, that’s fine. But…” She looked around the room. “There is no damn way in the world you can convince me there isn’t more you aren’t telling me.”
“That’s true. There’s a lot we need to tell you. And I’m begging you to sleep on it, and let us readdress it tomorrow.”
“Sleep? You want to take me home and put me to bed after this crazy scene from a nineteen sixties episode of the Twilight Zone and expect me to sleep?” Lindsey humphed. Propped her hands on her hips and humphed. “On second thought, forget it. You leave. And take Justin’s brother with you. Kara?” She turned to her supposed friend. “Can I stay in your guest room tonight?”
“Of course, hon. Of course. I’ll just…” She gestured to the other side of the house and walked out without another word.
“Lindsey…” Alex began.
“Don’t.” She held out a hand. “Please. You’re at least partially right. I don’t want to hear anything else tonight. Not even sure I ever do. In fact, don’t call me tomorrow. Don’t come by. Just leave me alone.” She turned on her heel and exited the same way Kara had. She knew the guest room. It would be all set up and ready for her.
She nearly flew down the hall and slammed the door behind her. Her emotions ran the gamut. On the one hand her body was still shaking from her attraction to two men in one evening. How the hell could she be so attracted to both of them? She’d needed to escape more for her own sanity than any real desire to be rid of them. What was wrong with her? And what the hell was wrong with them?
She paced the room, hands twitching at her sides.
Maybe a nice soak in the adjoined bathroom tub would settle her down.
She wished now she’d accepted the fake vodka offer.
After a straight beeline to the guest bath, Lindsey stripped out of her sexy, body-hugging dress, thinking what a shame it was her black lacy bra and panties had gone completely to waste tonight. Not that she’d intended to have sex with Alex on the official first date, but a girl never left the house unprepared. Minds were meant to be changed.
Heck, before they’d come to Kara’s place, she’d been halfway toward tossing her moral compass to the sidewalk outside the restaurant.
The faucet squeaked as she twisted it to hot, steam quickly filling the room while she finished stripping and stared at her reflection in the mirror. The soft ringlets of curls Jessica had painstakingly helped her arrange immediately collapsed in the steamy room like a video in fast forward of a wilting flower. The simile was perfect. She felt like a wilting flower. Her ego hurt, damn it. Two sexy men had ogled over her and then dismissed her to fight with each other about God only knew what.
Had they met before? Perhaps fought over a woman?
Lindsey turned away from her pity party and stuck one toe into the water to test it before stepping into the soothing hot water. “Ahh, perfect. Just fucking perfect.” She chuckled. When all else failed in life, at least a person should maintain their sense of humor.
Her brain wouldn’t shut down.
What the hell? She had gone through the last half hour over and over in her mind while the two jackasses “took it outside.” Took what outside? It didn’t seem they’d ever met on the one hand. If she didn’t know better she’d think they were fighting over her like a couple of teenagers. Except that was ridiculous since neither one of them owned her. And why did she wish they did?
They didn’t even know her well enough to care. Hell, she’d met Justin’s brother not two minutes before everything in her world had gone topsy-turvy.
Why did it hurt so bad to walk out of that room and leave those two specimens of personified sex appeal standing in the kitchen?
Maybe they’re gay? Hmmm, that’s a possibility.
A horrible one.
A shame to females everywhere.
She rejected the idea when she remembered h
er evening with Alejandro. That man was not homosexual.
Maybe Ryan was? And he had the hots for Alejandro. And he was pissed to find out that Alex was on a date with a woman.
Hmmm, that was feasible. Not.
“Lindsey?” Kara’s soft voice trailed into the bathroom from the other side of the door. “Can I come in?”
“Sure,” she muttered. Why not? Sarcasm was her specialty today.
With timid steps she slid inside, closing the door behind her, a peace offering in her hand. “You didn’t lock the door. Thought you might appreciate a glass of merlot. Probably not as good as the Spanish vino you drank earlier, but it’s all I have.” She handed Lindsey the glass and then produced the rest of the bottle from under her arm and set it on the counter. “I’m really sorry about tonight.” She sat on the commode. “You’re my best friend. Believe me, I don’t take it lightly that I can’t explain better.”
“Did they leave?”
“Yes.”
Lindsey looked down at the bubbles popping around her. They suddenly seemed so loud. “Why?”
“They had to figure some things out.”
“No, I mean why can’t you tell me what this is all about? I can’t figure why your loyalty doesn’t lie with me.” She nibbled her bottom lip between her teeth, fighting back tears. She was suddenly so tired.
“I hate making you feel this way. I promise you will understand. It just isn’t my place to explain. Does that make any sense?”
“No.” Tears escaped, probably dragging whatever mascara was left in streaks across her face. She swiped at her cheek.
“Get some sleep, okay? I’ll leave you be.” Kara padded from the room as silently as she’d entered, leaving Lindsey with nothing more than she’d had two minutes ago. No … that wasn’t entirely true. She smiled. Now I have a bottle of wine.
Chapter 3
It was late. Lindsey’s only means of determining the hour without moving her head was by judging the sun’s rays high in the sky outside her window. Probably almost noon. Hopefully, Kara had called Jessica, or else her remaining roommate would be freaking out by now worrying about what had become of the woman who’d left twenty-some odd hours ago with a virtual stranger.
Lindsey's Wolves Page 5
