“How do you propose to do that?” His jaw tightened.
“We give her what she wants.” Hercules glanced at him, shook his head, and plowed down the streets as if the roads weren’t slippery. The truck fishtailed as he took a turn too fast.
“Slow the fuck down. We don’t need you crashing before we’ve had a chance to brainstorm a plan.”
Hercules slammed on the breaks and nearly went off the road. His brother was crazy. “Got an idea.”
“Could we talk about it before you kill us?”
Hercules often didn’t think first. He just acted. He tapped the wheel. “What did Tanya say was her reason for not going with us?”
“It would be cold.”
“Exactly.” He executed a perfect U-turn and headed back to town. “I’m thinking we buy her the best hat, scarf, and gloves we can to keep her warm.”
That was kind of lame, though the image of keeping her warm with other parts of his body got him instantly hard. This weird body reaction to his mate was killing him. “If she lives here, she’ll have cold weather gear. I think it was an excuse not to hurt our feelings.”
Hercules grinned. “See? She likes us.”
“Are you on crack?”
“You’re not thinking. Ever hear of the phrase that it’s the thought that counts?”
“Sure.”
“She’ll appreciate the presents even if she doesn’t need them.” His brother pulled in front of Sasha’s Sundries and shoved open his door. If he didn’t want Hercules to do something else dumb, he better follow him in.
Sasha was inside helping a customer when they got there. She looked up and smiled. “Be right with you.”
While they waited for her to finish with her customer, they wandered around. Casius kept his eyes open for something Tanya would like to wear. The only way she’d believe their gift was sincere would be if it satisfied her excuse for why she didn’t want to go with them to the annual festival. Hell, he couldn’t blame her. They’d stormed into her place and acted like they wanted to explore every inch of her delicious body. There was no getting to know her as a person or anything. He and Hercules might know for sure she was destined for them, but she sure as hell didn’t have any idea who they were. For all he knew, once she found out they were shifters, she’d run to the newspaper and tell the world.
“How about this?” Hercules held up a wonderful, cornflower-blue hat that was the same soft shade as Tanya’s pretty eyes. It was rimmed in white fur that reminded him of her creamy skin. “I think she’ll like it.”
Sasha ambled over. “I don’t think that’s quite your style, Hercules.” Her grin was a welcome sight.
“I take it you saw how we reacted last night at your party when Tanya came by?”
She swallowed a grin. “You mean when your fangs extended and dripped blood and your hands sprouted hair?”
“Yeah.”
She laughed. “That I did.”
He told her what happened over at Tanya’s shop. “We just wanted to get to know her, and she shot us down.”
“You think that if you give her some presents, you can buy your way into her heart?”
Hercules leaned forward almost like he wanted to do battle. “No, but she said she didn’t want to be cold.”
Sasha pressed her lips together, as if she was about to tell them something about their mate, but then thought better of it. “Tell you what. I’ll help you pick out some things I think she’ll like. If she refuses them, you can bring them back for a refund.”
Hercules’s shoulders relaxed. “Thanks.”
His brother picked up a pair of nice, fur-lined, leather gloves. “Do you think our size intimidates her? A lot of women don’t want to go out with us because they think we might hurt them.”
Christ, but his brother could be such a dumb-ass sometimes. “What he’s trying to say is that we came on a little strong. You know, Tanya. Did she say anything about us when she was at the party?” Now he was the one who sounded like a damn teenager.
“She thought you were attractive but that you would never be interested in her.”
Casius grinned. “Then we’re just going to have to prove to her that we are.”
Chapter Two
Hercules was feeling pretty good about his plan. By the time they left Sasha’s, the snowfall had stopped and the sky looked less gray. He got in the front seat, and Casius tossed the presents in the back. “Ready to see if she’ll change her mind?”
“No. We need to give her some time. What’s up with you?”
Casius was the more levelheaded of the two, but Hercules had never wanted anything more in his life. “Patience isn’t my strong point.”
“We’ve got a few days. Let her stew about it. I’m thinking she’ll soften with time.”
He blew out a breath. “You’re right. I wish Trace and Danny weren’t getting ready to head back to Texas for a few weeks. I could use a good battle.”
“They aren’t leaving until tomorrow. Maybe we can simulate a chase.”
For the first time in an hour, he smiled. “I’d like that.”
Ever since the half-breed tiger shifters had come into town, the fighting skills of his team had improved. Seeing firsthand how the tigers moved and getting to learn their thought patterns really helped the panther shifters gain insight into the minds of their real terrorists. What a find it had been to get the Sanders brothers on their team.
For the rest of the trip up the mountain, he let his mind wander to the wonders of Tanya. Her full breasts and sultry eyes had him hard from the moment he’d walked in the store. There was a vulnerability that he liked. From her scent he could tell she was a woman full of passion and desires. His cock itched to make love to her nice and slow.
Casius stretched his arm along the back of the seat. “What if she wants to whip us?”
Hercules laughed. “I’d like to see her try.”
“But what if she wants to? This is our mate we’re talking about.” They’d shared a lot of women, but none had tried to take control in the bedroom. They knew better.
Hercules cocked a brow. “I suppose if that’s what turns her on, we could let her.”
The tension in his shoulders seemed to lessen. “We could always stop her if she gets out of hand.”
Images of her with a whip actually got him hard.
“Oh, fuck.”
“What?” Hercules slowed.
“If the whip cut us, the wound would heal instantly.”
Hercules slapped the wheel. “Then she’d know our secret.”
They would tell her about them being shifters at some time, but the timing was critical. Hunter and Derek had said when they’d told Jennifer about being shifters, she screamed and ran. He couldn’t imagine losing their mate like that. Fortunately, Jennifer came to her senses.
“But if we healed real fast, we could say it was her imagination and that she only thought she saw the skin tear.”
“Could work.”
They’d have to give more thought to this whole mating thing. “She seems shy in a way.”
“How so?” Hercules asked. “Didn’t you see the way she swung her hips and stuck out her tits at us?”
“I think it was an act. A few times I caught her flinching, like when she thought you wanted the whip for someone else.”
Hercules drew in his bottom lip, and the hairs stuck out. He let it go. “That was a mistake. I should have corrected her right away.”
He nodded. “We have to take it slow. Maybe she won’t feel comfortable if we both try to tame her at once.”
That got a laugh out of him. “Hey, as long as I get to go first, I’m all for it.”
“Over my dead body.”
* * * *
“So what should I do?” Tanya paced while her good friend, Georgiana, sat on one of the chairs at the store and leafed through the brochures. It was just past five, and she’d turned over the Open sign to Closed.
“Go out with them.”
She said it so matter-of-fact. “If I were thin, I would.”
Georgiana dropped the magazine with a thud. “Would you just stop it? You focus so much on how you look that it affects your actions.”
That stopped her. “I don’t remember anyone in junior high or high school making fun of you for being overweight.” Georgiana couldn’t gain weight if she tried.
“You have volume. That’s all. Look at your tits.” She waved a hand as if to erase the image.
“What about them?” Even she had to admit they were rather nice. When they started to sag, it might be a different issue.
“They’re nice. If you just be yourself, the men might accept you for the wonderful person you are.”
That was nice to hear, but no men had that attitude. “It’s too late now. They asked, and I turned them down.”
“Tell Sasha. She can put a bug in their ears.”
She shook her head. “That would make me look desperate. I’ll just bundle up and go to the festival. If I run into them, then so be it.”
A tap sounded on the store door. Georgiana waved and stood. “That’s my ride. Gotta go.” She gave Tanya a hug. “Make sure you come on Saturday.”
“I will.” If I still have the courage to go.
Once she knew that Georgiana was safe in the car, Tanya pulled the blinds and headed to the back office to take care of the daily receipts. After an hour of entering data, she shut down the computer because she couldn’t focus on anything. All she could picture was that whip in Casius’s hand. Part of her wanted to see how he’d react if she drew the leather across his muscular ass, but the other half wanted him to try it on her.
She’d seen the BDSM photos of the women on their backs, legs spread wide with their wrists cuffed to their ankles and their elbows tied to their knees. Their Doms would strike their pussy gently with the flogger, striking the clit until the high became so intense that the women almost passed out from pure bliss. She couldn’t imagine anything like that happening to her, though. She’d be afraid to ever let anyone put her in that position.
Another erotic image rolled in her mind’s eye. This one was of a woman bent over with her wrists attached to the floor. Tanya shook her head. That would never work for her. She’d get light-headed if she had to keep her head down like that. The erotic part was because, in that position, the woman was totally helpless. Now that excited her. So why did she claim to need the control in the bedroom? Georgiana would say it was to keep the men at a distance, but she didn’t think that was true. Hell, it was hard to push a man away who never was there in the first place.
Tanya leaned back in her chair and sighed. She absently drew a hand over her pussy and massaged the area. To make sure she wasn’t missing out on any of the self-induced sensations, she got waxed religiously. She had no idea if it helped or not.
Ever since she opened the store, she’d tried out most of the items, wanting to experience as much joy as she could. After all, what kind of owner would she be if she couldn’t talk with confidence to her customers about these items?
Thank God for Sasha. She’d told her what it was like to be tied up, spanked, and be at the mercy of her men. Tanya had to admit she yearned to trust someone enough to know that wonder firsthand.
Enough pining over what could never be. She stood, grabbed her coat, hat, and gloves from the closet, and left, making sure to lock the door. There were still two days until the festival, but the streets were lined with colored lights. Christmas was one of her favorite times of the year. At least it had been before her mom died. She never knew her dad, but from what her mother said, she wouldn’t have wanted to.
The wind whipped down the street, but the chill didn’t seem to bother her. In fact, it refreshed her and snapped her out of her malaise. Maybe she’d spend the night looking for a fun New Year’s Eve costume. She always went as her alter ego, the Dominatrix, but maybe this year she’d go as a French maid.
* * * *
Friday morning loomed clear and crisp. The temperature seemed to have warmed a bit, and the weather forecast for the festival tomorrow looked good. Casius picked up the carefully wrapped presents for Tanya, hoping she’d agree to go with them. They decided to assure her that it would be dinner, then the festival, and that they didn’t expect anything else.
“Ready?” Hercules came out in dress pants and a shirt.
“Are you kidding me?”
His brother looked down. “What?”
“Go change and put your jeans back on. If you make it look like this is some big deal, she’ll freak.”
“Fuck that. It is a big deal. If I want to look nice, then I can look nice.”
He knew when not to argue with him. They’d only end up in a wrestling match, which too often resulted in Hercules winning. His name fit him all too well.
After they checked in at the training facility and saw all was going well, they headed into town. As Hercules pulled in front of the store, he wanted to remind his brother once more not to mess this up. “No talk of how she’s the one or anything.”
His brother turned the key so hard in the ignition he thought it might break off. “I’m not a moron.”
“Not usually, but you have no control when it comes to Tanya.”
“Like you do?”
That had been the problem. He didn’t either, which really worried him. “Let’s go.”
“Smile for God’s sake or you’ll make her run.”
When they stepped in the store with all their presents, Tanya was with a customer. When she looked over and smiled, his claws almost popped through his skin. Several of the men said that this crazy reaction was normal and would wear off the more he was around her. He just hoped nothing showed before she knew what they really were.
Hercules placed the pile of boxes on the coffee table in the seating area.
You want to look around?
Yes, but don’t be too obvious or we might make her uncomfortable.
So now his brother was Mr. Sensitive? They stepped near the end of an aisle that had the blindfolds. He could care less what kind of masks she offered. He was more interested in listening to how Tanya interacted with her customer.
Hercules stepped next to him with his side to Tanya, whereas his own back was to her.
Are you listening to what she’s saying?
Casius pretended to straighten the hanging masks. That’s why I’m here. She’s very gentle, isn’t she?
“Yes.”
They knew when to speak and when to communicate telepathically. Tanya was dealing with a woman with a body that appeared to be hard to fit. He closed his eyes, attuning his senses to what she was saying.
The girl appeared to be sniffling. “He said I was too fat and that I wasn’t sexy anymore.”
“I’m sure I can find something that will make you so hot he won’t be able to resist you.”
Casius liked that she didn’t try to deny the girl’s claim or tell her not to worry. The sniffler wanted a solution, and that was what Tanya appeared to want, too.
A hanger scraped on the metal. “How about this one? It will accentuate your breasts and keep you tucked in in all the right places. I should know. I have the same one.”
The woman’s light laugh sounded full of relief.
Footsteps sounded toward the back. He figured she was going to try on the outfit. He turned around and watched as their mate came toward them with her head held high. Tanya was not only gorgeous but delicious in every sense.
“Hey. I’m surprised to see you back.”
Hercules held up a finger. “We have something for you.”
Her brows rose. She’d seen them come in with a stack of boxes all nicely wrapped in colorful paper and bows.
Tanya faced him as Hercules went to fetch her gifts. “What is it?”
He tapped her nose and was thankful when she didn’t flinch. “You’ll have to open them and see.”
She giggled. My, but she’s so adorable.
Just then the customer c
ame out of the dressing room, waving the teddy. “This is so wonderful.”
Tanya held up a finger. “If you’ll excuse me. I’ll be right back.”
Hercules brought the presents over and held on to them until Tanya finished checking out the woman. How nice to have a job where your clientele came in unhappy and left satisfied. Maybe it was like making love. At least he hoped Tanya would be satisfied when they finished with her.
She bounced back to them and peeked at the boxes. “For me?”
“Let’s have you open them on the counter.” Hercules brought them there.
As if she’d been taught to save every scrap of paper, she carefully peeled the paper off the boxes, not tearing the large square. Since the small box was on top, she’d opened that first. Once she got the lid off and saw what was inside, she squealed.
“These are incredible.”
“Try them on. If they don’t fit, Sasha said we could exchange them.”
With care, she slid her hands in and closed her eyes for a long moment and wiggled her fingers. “They’re perfect, but why do I get a present? It’s not my birthday.”
He couldn’t contain himself any longer. “You said you didn’t want to go to the festival because it was cold. We thought that if you had something warm to wear, you’d go with us.”
There was a flash of fear at first, then acceptance. “That is the sweetest thing anyone has done for me.”
That choked him up. Hercules handed her the next box. “Open this one.”
It probably took her ten minutes to get the boxes open. She’d put on the fur-lined hat that looked amazing on her, along with the cashmere scarf, gloves, and some boots with a funky sounding name.
She twirled around. “So?”
Casius stepped forward, picked her up, and spun her around. “You look fantastic and sexy as hell.”
She dropped back her head and laughed. “You can put me down. I don’t want you to hurt your back.”
“Babe. You trying to insult me? I could lift ten of you.” He leaned over and kissed the top of her head.
Their Virgin Mate [Panther Cove 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 2
