Mating Instinct (The COMPLETE Ridgeville Series)

by Kyle, Celia

  43

  “Remember: you’re a gorgeous woman, and the whole world does revolve around you. Unless it revolves around me.” — Maya O’Connell, Prima of the Ridgeville Pride and woman who may share the world with Tess. But not all the time; you’d better get that straight right now.

  Someday Tess would look back on her very first Girl’s Night Out and decide it was one of the most magical of her life.

  At the moment, it was merely…interesting.

  Right. Interesting was a good way to describe it. Bizarre beyond belief was another.

  Maya, fruity drink in one hand and empty beer bottle in the other, leaned toward her and laid her head on Tess’s shoulder. “I just wanna let you know… I’m keeping you.” Hiccup. Lord, the Prima was drunk. From what Maya had told her earlier, the “fluffy factor” allowed some shifters to become shit-faced. It was the guys with all of the “muscley hotness” that had lack-o-drunkenness issues. And it “sucked to be them.”

  “Umm…”

  “Because you’re adorable Tess… Tadorable.” Maya jerked away from her, slightly swaying as she raised her colorful glass high. “To Tadorable!”

  “Tadorable!” Carly echoed Maya’s shout, joining in the salute…of sorts.

  The bartender approached their table, sexy smile on his face and swagger in his steps. He slid a tray onto the polished wood. Half its surface was covered with snacks and the other half with another round of drinks. “Here you go ladies.”

  They all watched the large man saunter away, and Tess reminded herself that she had a man even hotter sitting within twenty feet of them.

  “Hey, Tess?” The Prima was back with a sigh, leaning against her once again. “Can we have a hedgehog bite you instead of Harding? I know the lion is the shit’s bananas, but I really want a hedgehog, and the bar owner, Honey, won’t let me borrow her mate, Blake—” A shout of “Damn straight!” came from the bar. “—And Blake won’t give me Katie because she’s part of his pack. So, we’ll make you one and I’ll be happy. I’ve got the most adorable cage…”

  Suddenly Maya’s pink drink was snatched from her grasp by a whisker-clad Carly. “That’s enough for you, Missy. We are not turning Tess into a hedgehog just because you were denied a pet as a child.”

  Maya growled and her whiskers came out to play. “Only because you and your brother got to my mom first.” The Prima turned back to Tess, sweet smile in place. “What if I promise not to let the twins eat you?”

  “Umm…” Tess still wasn’t sure what to say. Hell, she hadn’t known what to say from the moment she and Harding had picked up the two women. Somehow she’d ended up with her lion—and she wasn’t touching the possessive side of herself with a ten-foot pole—a lioness and a rabbit. Really. No lie.

  “Maya…” Carly half-growled, half-chittered at the Prima.

  Maya blew a raspberry at her friend. “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen.” Then she pounded on the table with her fist. “Ohmahgawd! Remember when I tried to get Alex to put on some fishnets and heels like that video? Because, I mean, he’s massive hotness and the music video was kinda sexy…but he said no.”

  Tess wasn’t going to laugh. Really. Not even snort.

  Carly nudged a glass of something purple toward her. “Here, you’re not drunk enough yet.”

  Tess caught the drink, the near-neon liquid sloshing over the side. She was totally in way over her head. She took a sip and let some of the sweet fluid flow over her tongue. “Mmm…”

  “Good, right?”

  She nodded and swallowed a bit more. Then some more. Conversation between Carly and Maya flowed around her, the women teasing and laughing out loud, their sounds drowning out those that came from the rest of the bar. A sweet fuzziness enveloped Tess, making her feel as if she floated on air. Hell, that hadn’t taken long. The glass was only half empty.

  Carly leaned toward her, resting her head on Tess’s shoulder as the Prima had done not long ago. “Feeling good?”

  “You got me drunk,” she accused.

  “I did. We can’t start busting your balls until you’re giggly.” Carly’s smile was blinding.

  She snorted. “I don’t have balls. Harding does though. I wanna see his balls. Balls is a fun word, isn’t it? Bbbbaaalllsss.”

  Carly clapped twice. “Okay, we have achieved Tessious Drunkious.”

  A round of “woo-hoos” surrounded her. Geez, even the bar patrons were happy about her fuzziness.

  Then the advice began. God save her.

  Maya was first. “Now, I know that you were afraid, you were petrified.”

  “You kept thinking how you couldn’t get the fuck outta that hellhole.” Carly was right behind the lioness.

  “Wait! I don’t think that’s how the song goes.” Maya’s brow was furrowed. “Maybe we should pick a different one.”

  “There’s Respect. ‘Cause he needs to R-E-S-P-E-C-T her or he’s never gonna get it.” Carly paused. “And by ‘get it’ I mean bow-chicka-bow-bow. Just so we’re clear.”

  “Did we just mix I Will Survive, Respect, and My Lovin’?” Maya’s gaze zeroed in on Carly. “We. Are. Awesome!”

  “Well, it was more of a mix-ish. I think our song remembrance bits are broken.”

  “Huh,” Maya tilted her head to the side. “Still awesome!”

  This time Tess didn’t hesitate to join in, the buzz of both the alcohol and being around people that accepted her for herself giving her an extra boost of confidence. She raised her glass, clicking it against the others.

  Maya snared her free hand. Warmth from the other woman washed over her, the woman’s innate peace and purity of soul seeping into her. “Now we’ll mix a few more. ‘Cause, Tess? You are beautiful and if you want your future, you gotta forget all that bullshit in your past. And Harding isn’t a scrub—though I don’t know what the hell that is—and deserves your love. He’s not hanging out of the passenger side of his best friend’s ride. He has his own car. We rode in it.” Maya released her and raised her hand. “High five for throwing together Beautiful, Wannabe, and No Scrubs!”

  “Well, throw-ish.” Carly sighed. “The Spice Girls really were an underappreciated group. I wanted to be Posh Spice when I grew up, but Victoria Beckham was too skinny. I kinda hate her for that.”

  “It’s not good to hate.” Maya butted in. “Unless it’s skinny people and crazies.” The lioness turned to her. “No offense, but Alistair was one of the crazies. Just sayin’.”

  That earned the woman a smack to the head from Carly. “We are supposed to be forgetting the crazy and focusing on getting Tess to ride Harding like a cowboy.” Carly sighed. “There’s nothing like riding a cowboy a time or two or fifteen.”

  “God Bless the Gaian Moon!” The two women said it together and clinked glasses.

  Tess finally lost it at that one. True, her knowledge of the moon had been gleaned second-hand, but she’d learned enough to know that the Gaian Moon was a night filled with hot sex with the intent on making babies. Other memories of those nights tried to fight through, but she shoved them back. Now wasn’t the time to let them free.

  Carly stole her drink and set it aside before grabbing her hand. Their combined joy joined in with the muzziness from the alcohol, and peace settled over her.

  “Tess?” Tess opened eyes she hadn’t realized she’d closed, and looked at Carly. “It’s gonna be okay.”

  She would forever blame the tears on the burning in her eyes from the alcohol.

  “Nothing from before you met Harding matters anymore. You’re part of this pride—” Carly’s words were low and gentle.

  Maya raised her hand. “But don’t really, really say that in front of anyone until Alex does his mumbo jumbo. He gets annoyed when I do the whole ‘welcoming’ thing, and then I don’t get sex, for like, a day. A whole day.” The two women snorted and Maya continued. “The point is: hold onto your past, but don’t let it destroy your future. That big scary guy over there—”

  Tess cut off Maya a
nd shook her head, looking toward Harding. “He’s not scary. Sweet. Caring. Gentle. Not scary.” When she looked back at her new friends, it was to find them gaping at her. “What?”

  “Dude.” Carly threw her arms in the air. “We so weren’t needed. She loves him already.”

  Love? Tess gulped and shook her head. Nope. She wasn’t risking her heart that way. Not ever.

  “An-y-ways.” Maya rolled her eyes. “You need to accept that you aren’t your past. You aren’t some psycho waiting to crawl out of some evil cocoon—”

  “I like that metaphor, very Aliens.” Carly took a gulp of Tess’s drink.

  “—I know, right?” Maya grinned. “An-y-ways. You are you and he is him… Or whatever… The point is, quit being a baby. He’ll boink you, nosh on you, and then ta-da! We have a new BFF. Though I really wish you’d let a hedgie bite you. I have a freaking pride of lions. I need more variety.”

  Tess wanted to accept Maya’s words. The worry over her past lessened with each passing moment, but it was the guilt over the other women that still gnawed on her soul.

  As if reading her mind, Maya shook her head and squeezed her hand. “No. The women will get better every day. Maddy and Elise will work with them constantly. They don’t hate you. They know that while you didn’t suffer in the same way, you were still a victim.” Maya’s gaze drilled into her. “Let it go Tess, and let yourself live.”

  Tess absorbed the words and turned her attention to the man sitting near them. Her mate. Her scarred warrior. He was a man who’d had a horrific past, the scars still decorating his body, yet he’d pushed beyond them to embrace a better life.

  Could she do the same? Was it that easy?

  “No. It’s not.” Carly pulled her attention from Harding. “It’s hard and it hurts and there are days you want to hide from the world… And then I look at Neal and realize that every second of pain was worth being in his arms. You’re a survivor, Tess.”

  “Like Destiny’s Child.” Maya nodded. “Totally. But without the awesome asses. Because, really, I’m not even a lesbian and I was tempted by that badunka-dunk. Just sayin’.”

  Tess snorted.

  “Hey now.” Carly stuck out her tongue. “The point is: you don’t need your big girl panties because Harding would appreciate you going commando. We love you. The pride will love you once we get you added to the roster—”

  “Remember we’re letting Alex ‘officially’ do that.” Maya hiccupped.

  “—And we promise that once you’re mated, you won’t be crazy. We’re Harding’s friends, right? We wouldn’t let him stick his dick in crazy. Promise.”

  Tess wasn’t sure how to take Carly’s words, but she kinda got their point-ish.

  She hoped they were right.

  “Oh, I’m totally right.” Her skepticism had to have shown since Carly waved away Tess’s worries. “It’s, like, a rule. Women are always right, and if the men say we’re wrong, the doors to Vaginaville are permanently closed. But I do let Neal in for good behavior. Lotsa tongue action.” Carly winked at Tess.

  Tess stared at Harding once again, drinking in the sight of him. She didn’t see his scars, inflicted by his own family, and only saw the man who wanted her. Not because of lust or some crazed emotion, but because she was his mate. That hint of beast inside her rumbled in approval, its wavering animal form urging her to go to him. He was the only one to call to that small part of her, the only one who could quiet the voices with his mere presence, and the only man she’d ever been comfortable with.

  “Okay.” She whispered the word, forcing the air from her lungs, but the shifters heard the low syllables nonetheless. She wasn’t saying okay to forever right this second, but she was willing to let herself go to Harding and ask for more. More of what, she didn’t know, just more. A round of “woo hoos” went around, and then the two ladies were gathering their purses and scooching around the booth. “What are you guys doing?”

  Carly rolled her eyes. “Duh. We timed this so damned perfectly we should get a medal. Check out the front door.”

  Tess turned and saw two large males entering, each man emitting an aura of dominance and power. Those two turned toward their small corner, and heat flared in their eyes. It was one of sex personified mixed with a possessiveness that rivaled Harding’s.

  She knew Alex, and Carly was quick to provide the name of the other male. “There’s my cowboy, Neal.” The rabbit leaned forward and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek. “Now, go rock Harding’s world and we’ll see ya in a few days at the next run. But no starting the run. It annoys Alex and then he gives Maya a spanking.”

  Maya gripped her hand. “Start it. Please. I beg you.” Alex snared her and swung the giggling Prima into his arms. “Bye!” She waved, smiling over her mate’s shoulder as he wove through the crowd and back to the front door.

  Neal swooped in and wrangled a swaying Carly. In moments, it was just Tess standing near their table while Harding remained at the bar.

  He held out his hand, palm up and fingers stretched toward her. “Ready?”

  Renewed nerves pummeled her with worries. Joking and laughing about letting the past fall away was one thing. Opening herself up to potential hurt was another. On trembling legs, she closed the distance between them and rested her hand on his palm. “Sure.”

  “Good.” Harding tugged her closer, pulling her until they stood chest to chest. Well, her chest to his chest-slash-abdomen. Ches-domen. “Let’s go home.”

  Home. Home sounded really, really good.

  Tess followed him through the bar. Wow, they really had been partying for a while, since the previously overflowing room was now nearly empty. Harding tugged her through the doorway and into the dim parking lot. Giggles, laughs, screeches, and a definitively sexual moan met them the moment they were outside.

  The door behind them continued squeaking as each customer vacated the place, the squeal and clunk of the portal swinging open and closed mingling with the women’s noises.

  “Hey! No sex in the parking lot! There’s a sign, people!” Tess turned toward the voice and found the owner, Honey, pointing at a white sign bolted to a light pole. A sign that actually said “No sex in the parking lot.”

  Maya’s low “bitch” was discernible even to Tess’s mostly-human hearing.

  God, was this what normal felt like? Smiles? Laughs? She looked around the open area, noting the two couples, each male teasing and toying with their respective mates as they stumbled toward their vehicles. Even Honey was cuddled up to her hedgehog mate, Blake. A gentle squeeze on Tess’s fingers reminded her that she had something similar with Harding.

  She looked up at him. “Take me home?”

  She wouldn’t—couldn’t—mate him yet, but there was always other stuff. Other stuff that didn’t involve teeth and changing her from skin and bones to fur and fang.

  “Sure, sweet.” He tugged her to the left, toward their dark SUV that sat beneath the dim glow of a street lamp. His feet were quiet on the asphalt, a low, dull thud that warred with the continued merriment behind them. The joy at the women’s acceptance still filled her to overflowing. She’d never been hugged or squeezed or given a sloppy kiss merely because. Her life had revolved around fear and pain so this…this was nice. More than nice. Insanely, I-love-my-life awesome.

  They stood beside the SUV, Tess leaning against the cool, shining metal while Harding held the door open for her. She slid past him, their bodies barely skimming one another, and then she hopped (literally) into the seat. Yet Harding remained in place. His gaze was intent on her, eyes sliding into the palest blue hues as he continued to stare.

  “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” He skimmed her cheek with callused fingertips. “At all?”

  “Harding…” She didn’t know what to say or how to respond. Kindness, attraction, lov—ahem, she’d stick with attraction—filled her. It was weird and different and new and… Oh. Harding’s lips were suddenly on hers, tongue tracing the seam of her mouth u
ntil she opened and granted him access. Their tongues twined and danced in an alluring rhythm while his flavors slithered into her. He was so sweet and dark and tempting. She’d follow the man to hell for one more kiss, one more touch of his fingers on her skin. Her body craved him like a drug, and she decided that he wasn’t a habit she wanted to kick. Ever.

  He crowded her further, sliding his hips between her knees and forcing her legs to spread wide. He wrapped his arms around her waist, hands resting above the curve of her ass as his heat enveloped her. She was surrounded by him, his body her whole focus, as he plundered her mouth. The last time she’d been conscious and this close to him, she’d quickly bolted. She’d been afraid of her feelings and the potential results of her actions. Now…now she could hardly remember her objections.

  Harding moaned against her lips, and she echoed the sound. Tess pulled on his shirt, tugging him closer, aching to feel even more of his heat. She craved more, that hint of animal inside her agreeing whole-heartedly. More, more, more, more…

  Another moan from Harding. She rocked her hips forward and felt the strength of his arousal. This tugged a groan from the lion, but it was quickly silenced, cut off when Harding ripped his lips from hers. He released an echoing roar into the night, the sound vibrating against the SUV and bouncing around the parking lot. It sliced through the sounds coming from the other couples still lingering. The ragged noise was followed by silence. He turned from her and dropped to his knees as he freed yet another roar, deeper and stronger than before. He clutched his head, palms pressed against his temples as his fingers pushed against his skull.

  God. Not again. They’d broken everyone up; they’d taken care of things. They were supposed to be happy and safe and…

  The next deafening roar seemed to have been wrenched from his very soul, nearly turning him inside out with its intensity.

  Tess dropped to the ground beside him and reached for him, intent on banishing this lingering threat. She’d find the person and punish them for what they’d done to her Harding. But first she had to lock the person out of Harding’s mind. Permanently.