Settled comfortably into his corner, Ven raised the drink to his lips as he regarded his mate once again. He had one shot to make things right, and he needed a plan. And maybe one more bottle of courage.
Reaching into his pocket, he drew out the paperback he’d been carrying around like a talisman ever since Caitlyn abandoned it in her haste to escape the gas station. He’d dog-eared a few pages in the book and he browsed through them again. The duke had some interesting moves and Ven pondered which ones he would try out on his mate first. Fishing a pen out of his pocket, he underlined a few key passages.
Lara finished her set and the families with younger cubs started to drift away, many pausing at the Saunders/Burrows table to wish them luck tomorrow and state how much they were looking forward to seeing the restaurant open again. Jessie slept in Stefan’s lap, her head lolling over his shoulder. He cradled his granddaughter like a precious gift..
The Burrows family started to shift around, gathering jackets and other belongings as they prepared to leave. Taking his cue, Ven rose from his stool and hustled to the table, his looming presence enough to still their movement and turn all eyes toward him. He ignored the collection of curious stares and frowns, Caitlyn his only focus.
Her cheeks flushed under his scrutiny and he slid the paperback across the table toward her.
“You left this at work the other day. I’m sure you will be busy tomorrow with the party preparations, but I expect to see you at the gas station first thing on Friday morning.” He fought to keep his face calm as his mate goggled at him in disbelief.
Her eyes were huge, the green depths the exact shade of moss growing on the rocks around his favorite stream. He couldn’t wait to show her, to run with his mate through the trees and breathe the pine and loam scents of their forest home.
With effort, he turned his gaze toward Bridie.
“What time does the party start tomorrow?” He kept his voice low, tone respectful.
She gave him an appraising glance before answering. “We’ll be there earlier, but the doors open at seven.”
After a quick nod of thanks, he turned back to Caitlyn. “I’ll call for you at six. Wear your hair down for me, Little Red.” She blinked up at him before giving a small nod of acquiescence.
Resisting the urge to stroke the blush highlighting his mate’s creamy cheek, Ven took a deep breath and flashed a quick grin at Bridie. “I want a table for two. Front and center, please. Nobody puts my mate in the corner.”
Ears burning at the cheesy remark, he hurried away before he lost his nerve completely. The previous occupant of his trailer had left a few belongings behind, including an old VCR and a stack of movies. Ven had watched them all several times, even the chick flicks.
A huge whoop of mirth followed in his wake. He froze before relaxing when Hannah exclaimed, “Caitlyn Burrows, any man who references Dirty Dancing is a keeper!” followed by gales of feminine laughter.
He had the female members of the family on his side, it seemed, although he couldn’t imagine the males would be so easily won.
Tough shit. Escaping into the night, he embraced his wolf form as soon as the cooler air brushed his face. She was his mate, and everyone was going to have to get used to it.
Ven included.
Chapter Eight
A heavy thump outside her bedroom door preceded the sharp knock. The door swung open to reveal Caitlyn’s twin brother. Connor looked like hell and in his jeans, boots, and denim jacket, definitely not suitable for the party. Glancing past him, she spotted the large duffel bag in the corridor—the source of the thump when he’d dropped it there.
She reached tentatively for their telepathic connection, but it was locked down tight, the way it had been for days. Whatever ate at Connor, he wasn’t in the mood for sharing. She fiddled with the unfamiliar cascade of curls Hannah had coaxed her normally straight hair into and waited for him to speak.
“I can’t do it, Cat.” His whispered words struck her like bullets. They told her everything she needed to know—it was all about him. Again.
“Can’t do what, Connor? Can’t let me live my life the way I choose? Can’t respect me as an adult to make decisions without consulting you every step of the way?” The unfamiliar flash of temper warmed her cheeks as she rose to her feet and faced him.
“He’s no good for you, Cat! Why can’t you see it? Why can’t anyone see it?” Fists clenched at his sides, his shout masked the movement in the corridor behind him.
“I’m sorry you feel that way but I won’t believe fate would send me a mate who isn’t what I need.” She wrung her hands together to stop from reaching out to her twin in a placatory gesture. She hadn’t chosen this fight, but she would stand her ground, make it clear she would not live under his overprotective thumb for one day longer.
“So that’s it then,” he rasped. “I can’t believe after everything that happened, everything we’ve suffered, you would choose him over me.”
Caitlyn shook her head in utter disbelief at his words.
“Everything we’ve suffered?” she shrieked. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she spoke again.
“You weren’t there, Connor. I was. Magnum hurt me, not you! If I can move on from that awful, awful event then why the hell can’t you?”
“But I was there, Cat. You threw open our bond and I got every single terrible moment of it. Every. Single. One. That’s why I can’t forget it!” Connor’s anguished voice tore her heart. She raised her hands as though to ward off the blow of his words. Her knees buckled and she barely managed to catch herself on her hands as she crumpled to the floor.
She stared up at Connor in utter horror through a curtain of hair. “I didn’t know, Con. I swear I didn’t know. Why didn’t you tell me?” Bile burned her throat as a wave of humiliation rocked her. Connor knew exactly what had been done to her and the realization of it hollowed her out.
She’d never told anyone, not even her mother, exactly what Magnum had done, although they’d been able to surmise most of it from the injuries she’d incurred.
Stomach heaving, she scrabbled to her feet, lunging toward the bathroom in her desperation not to vomit on the carpet.
Gentle hands caught her, holding her hair clear as she retched miserably. Her mother rubbed circles across her shoulders, waiting patiently for the shock reaction to fade and eventually Caitlyn slumped back on her heels.
A cold cloth wiped her face and she closed her eyes, tilting her head to allow her mother to soothe her. A couple of deep breaths steadied her nerve and she raised her lids slowly to meet Marjorie’s concerned expression.
“I’m okay,” she croaked and swallowed, cringing at the sour taste in her mouth.
“I know you are, baby. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for. Stand up, darling. Wash your face and brush your teeth and you’ll feel much better.” Marjorie tugged her up as she spoke and then left her in peace in the bathroom.
Caitlyn looked at her reflection, sighing at the horror show of makeup streaking her face. She pushed a thick band over her head, holding her hair back so she could wash her face. The sharp taste of mint across her palate worked wonders and she rinsed and spit before returning to her bedroom.
Thankfully, only her mother remained, rifling through the few bits of makeup on Caitlyn’s dressing table. She sat obediently on the low stool and let Marjorie redo her makeup. She hadn’t put her outfit on yet so the navy tea dress remained pristine and wrinkle-free on its hangar.
“Connor’s gone,” Marjorie said firmly as she stroked blusher across Caitlyn’s cheekbones and her heart twisted at the loss of her other half. Her mother paused, catching her chin in a gentle grip.
“It’s for the best, darling. He needs to sort himself out and I won’t have him shred you to pieces while he does it. I know it’s hard. We’ve all had a horrible shock but we have too much good going on right now to risk throwing it away.”
Marjorie pressed
a kiss to the tip of Caitlyn’s nose, adding a few final touches to her face before tugging the band away and combing her fingers through her daughter’s hair. The chime of the doorbell made them both jump and Caitlyn gnawed on her bottom lip before catching herself and forcing a watery smile to her face.
With a quick squeeze of her shoulder, Marjorie gathered the voluminous skirt of the dress and lifted it over Caitlyn’s head. She fastened the zipper and patted her daughter’s cheek as she headed out of the room.
“I’d better go and rescue your poor mate before your father scares him away. Don’t be long now, darling. It’s all about the future now, not the past.” Marjorie departed in a cloud of perfume and surety and she envied her mother’s poise and resilience. She fiddled nervously with the lacy petticoats built into the skirt of the dress and slipped her feet into a pair of high-heeled sandals. A final brush over the skirt and she was as ready as she was ever going to be.
She paused on the landing and couldn’t help but laugh. In spite of the ache in her heart, the sight of Ven clutching a huge bouquet of daisies and a box of chocolates was both unexpected and adorable. He looked gorgeous in a simple white shirt and dark dress pants. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled to the elbow, the crisp material a delicious contrast to his deep, burnished skin. His ebony hair flowed free, secured by a plaited leather thong across his high forehead.
She took a step down as his head swung up to watch her and the look of pure need blazing in his coal-black eyes caused her to miss her footing. Thrusting the flowers and chocolates into her surprised father’s arms, Ven leaped forward to catch her as she stumbled.
The heat of his palm against her arm was warm and welcome. She swayed, grateful to rest up against his broad, strong body. His amber and dark wood scent teased her nose, opening her senses, bringing calm and balance. This man, this mate of hers, would always catch her when she fell.
Warm lips brushed her temple, her ear, as he bent his knees to whisper.
“You are a vision, Little Red, a fucking dream come true.” Her heart sang at the words of praise, and she turned her face to his. His position on the step below her meant they were nose to nose, eye to eye.
Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss against his mouth. His lips opened hungrily, tongue probing deep as he pulled her hard up against his chest. She gave herself wholly to the kiss, surrendering to every demand from her mate as he ate at her mouth.
A cough from below pulled them apart and Caitlyn peeked over Ven’s broad shoulder to meet her father’s disapproving gaze, the glower on his face a marked contrast to the beaming smile on her mother’s. Marjorie elbowed Stefan in the side as she took the flowers and chocolates from him.
“I remember when you used to kiss me like that,” she said with a cheeky grin as she vanished into the kitchen. Stefan growled low in his throat and disappeared after his mate. Soft laughter drifted into the hallway and Caitlyn shook her head with a smile.
Accepting her mate’s arm, she allowed him help her down the remaining steps. Her purse and a thin wrap were draped over the end of the bannister and she turned her back as he slipped the lacy garment over her. His warm hands rubbed across her shoulders and disappeared under the curling mass of her hair to massage the nape of her neck.
Moaning softly at the pressure, she wondered briefly if they could skip the party. She’d spent half the night reading and re-reading the passages he’d marked in her book with thick underlined strokes. Her mind replaced the duke and his lady with images of Ven bending her over, of his hand hard in her hair as he pressed his cock in her mouth, of the slip and slide of their sweat-soaked skin as he rode her hard.
“Fucking hell, Little Red whatever you are thinking about, you need to stop right now before I lose control,” His voice rumbled against her ear and she giggled and stepped away from him toward the front door.
“Page eighty-four,” she whispered and slipped outside into the balmy evening. Ven caught her before she’d taken two steps. Tossing her over his shoulder, he strode down the road toward town. His hand slipped beneath the lacy petticoats to rest firmly on her ass, holding her in place. She laughed and protested to be put down, but her mate roundly ignored her as he carried her down the hill.
She could see the driveway behind her, and realized Ven hadn’t brought a vehicle to collect her. She fell quiet and allowed him to carry her. She didn’t remember seeing a car or truck out by the gas station, only the old trailer he lived in. Studying her beautiful home disappearing into the dark behind her, she swallowed thoughtfully.
The contrast between their circumstances became crystal clear to her and she tucked the realization away. Her mate, so self-conscious of the opinion of others, would feel the difference. How much had it taken for him to walk the miles to her house and present himself for her parents’ inspection?
She rested her forehead on his shoulder and sighed. It would require some tact and delicacy to overcome any embarrassment he might feel at being poor in comparison to her. The warm palm of his hand stroked slow circles over the cheeks of her ass and all thoughts stopped under the hypnotic brush of skin against skin.
Her inelegant journey ended when Ven lowered her to her feet at the edge of the wooden boardwalk in front of the restaurant. Brushing the creases from the front of her dress, he turned her around, fluffing the petticoats as she spun until the material fell just right. The thoughtful gesture provided another insight into the depths of this beautiful man. The brash exterior he showed the world masked a sensitivity she doubted anyone else could see. She hugged the knowledge close, a delicious secret. He raised his hand to cup her face and she leaned into the warmth of his palm. A set of headlights flashed through the night and she blinked for a long minute to protect her night vision. When she opened her eyes, the look of possession and pride on his face made her knees wobble.
“Are you ready?” he murmured, and she nodded.
“For everything, Ven. I’m proud to have you as my mate, to be able to walk through the door and show everyone in our pack I belong to you.”
Moisture glinted in his eyes as he lowered his face to hers in a kiss of infinite tenderness.
“I love you, Little Red. You don’t belong to me yet, but you will before the night is over, I promise you.” He nuzzled the pulse point at her neck. The light scraping of his teeth on her tender skin turned her core liquid.
“We could skip the party,” she whispered. His deep chuckle vibrated against her skin as he licked her throat once more. He offered her his arm and Caitlyn placed her hand on his warm brown skin. Claiming her hand, he tucked it tight into the crook of his arm, using his other hand to pull open the door to the restaurant.
The smell of food and the scents of the pack wafted out into the cooling night air on a wave of laughter and music. Caitlyn squeezed her fingers around Ven’s arm and smiled patiently as he paused on the threshold. His dominant instincts would not allow her to enter even a presumed friendly environment without checking for threats. She watched his thick chest rise and fall as he drew a deep breath, testing the scents swirling in the air. With a nod and a gentle tug, he led her into the humid warmth of the restaurant, another step forward on their mating path.
Chapter Nine
Ven braced himself, forcing a smile to his lips as he led his mate into the crowded room. The retro decor the Saunders had chosen really suited the place and bright movie posters in thick brass frames covered the white half of the walls. Dark-navy coated the lower half, divided by a shiny wooden rail at waist height. Bench seats, soft cream leather with navy piped edges, conjured images of the back seats of big-finned classic cars. The dark wood tables were softly illuminated with shiny brass lamps and the napkins and cloths were a mixture of bright red and crisp fresh cream. An old fashioned jukebox stood in the corner, neon lights flashing as it pumped out music. A few of the youngsters were bopping around in front of it with more enthusiasm than rhythm.
Bridie appeared in front of them, her fa
ce flushed from the heat of the kitchen. The pink on her cheeks did nothing to detract from a grin wide enough to put the stars to shame. She hugged Caitlyn and surprised Ven when she patted his chest affectionately as he complimented the interior. Unused to spontaneous gestures of affection, he forced himself not to flinch. Other than Caitlyn, the only person who had ever touched him without malice was Gee.
Self-preservation had resulted in a standoffish nature, driving a wedge between himself and other members of the pack. Touch starved he realized with a jolt. He surprised a laugh out of Bridie by capturing her hand and raising it to his lips for a kiss. She fanned her face, pretending to swoon. Caitlyn giggled and Ven rolled his eyes, secretly thrilled. Teasing came as naturally as breathing to most wolves, something else he’d been missing out on.
Bridie ushered them to a large table in the center of the room, not the requested table for two, but a circular one big enough for the extended family. Caleb and Hannah were already there. Little Jessie held hands with Caleb, dancing and spinning to the music in front of him. The door to the restaurant opened behind them and Bridie vanished like a shot, returning moments later with Stefan and Marjorie in her wake.
Caitlyn chose a seat and Ven pulled it out for her, remaining standing behind it with his hand resting on her shoulder as he studied the room. He needed to check everyone present, make sure there were no threats his initial survey at the door may have missed. Spotting Ryker in the corner, he approved of the defensive position the Enforcer adopted which allowed him to keep the entire room in sight. Ven tilted his head slightly to indicate he wanted to speak to him.
Ryker rose and strolled toward the small bar in the corner, keeping his attention fixed on his mate who remained seated at their table.
Ven kissed the top of Caitlyn’s head. “I’ll be two minutes,” he murmured and crossed the room to meet his boss. The man behind the bar gave a familiar sweet smile and Ven nodded as he took the beer Paul offered. Gee had apparently loaned his staff to support the new venture. Glancing around, he recognized a number of them weaving in and out of the full tables.
A Mate's Redeeming Touch Page 7
