Torn Between Two Alphas: Howls Romance

by Marianne Morea

  Deep crimson crawled up her cheeks and he resisted the urge to lean across the table and kiss the blushing skin beneath her jaw.

  “You said this morning didn’t start off great. I hope this afternoon makes up for that,” he prompted.

  Mikki nodded, picking at the lettuce and tomato sticking out from her burger’s bun. “So far. Even if you are an uptown snob.”

  He laughed at that. “Considering you’re a downtown weirdo, I still can’t believe you never shifted.”

  With a grin, she wiped her hands on a napkin, careful not to use the one with the lawyer’s information. “Tell me about your family. Are you from the city?”

  “No,” he answered, chewing. “We’re originally from the mountains. The Adirondacks. It’s why I manage the property there.”

  “Like a vacation destination?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “Not really. More like an inheritance. I’m trying to decide whether I want to keep, uhm, managing the place. The cost is a little high right now.”

  “Property taxes and upkeep can be killers, especially in the city. Is it just as bad upstate?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “No, I meant personal cost.”

  His cellphone buzzed on the table, and he glanced down as Jillian’s picture flashed on the screen. Dismissing the call, he then shoved the cell in his coat pocket on the back of an empty chair.

  “Girlfriend?” Mikki asked.

  Damn. He pressed his lips together. “No…I mean, yes.” He exhaled. “It’s complicated. She’s someone I’m seeing, but she’s not.” He picked up another French fry, but then dropped it onto his plate. “She’s part of the reason I say the personal cost is too high.”

  Mikki shifted her gaze to the frozen garden before meeting his eyes again. “It’s okay, Nick. We’re friends, right?”

  He reached for her hand, but she pulled back, wiping her mouth on a napkin instead.

  “Listen, this has been a blast,” she said quickly, “but I’ve left my shop with a friend all day. I really need to get back. You’re not the only one with costs to weigh.”

  Crumpling the napkin, she dropped it onto her tray and then turned to unhook her coat from the back of her chair.

  “Mikki, please—” Nick replied. “I really like you. More than I’ve liked anyone in a long time. I’d like to see you again.”

  She exhaled. “I like you, too, Nick, but complicated or not, the fact remains you have a girlfriend. I’ve got my own complications in spades, and there isn’t room on my plate for yours, too.”

  He stood from the table, scraping his chair back. “We crashed into each other for a reason, Mikki. Don’t you think? I want to get to know you better.”

  “I don’t know, Nick. Maybe. Why don’t you give me your number? If I decide I’m crazy enough or masochistic enough, I’ll give you a call.”

  “Mikki—”

  She slipped her coat on, wrapping her scarf around her neck. “I may be a mixed breed, but I’m still a shifter, Nick. I know you’re not lying, but you’re also not telling me everything, and in case you’re wondering, my eyesight is perfect.”

  “What does that mean?”

  She gestured to the pocket where he shoved his phone. “Even upside down, your girlfriend is stunning. I can’t compete with someone who looks like that, but more importantly, I don’t want to.”

  Before she could slip past him, he stepped around to her side of the table and scribbled his cellphone number on the same napkin he used for his lawyer’s information.

  “You’re right, she is beautiful. On the outside.” He folded the napkin into her palm as he did earlier. “But that’s about as far as it goes with her.”

  Nick’s fingers lingered and his gaze locked on hers. “When you run into something this good, you don’t let it go on a technicality.”

  With no warning he pulled her close. She lifted her chin to argue, but his lips brushed hers before she could utter a word. Her voice caught in her throat, and when he slid his hand through her hair, electricity skittered across her skin.

  Their breath mingled as his lips swept the seam of her mouth. Without hesitation, she opened for him. His tongue found hers, soft, and he deepened his kiss. Her lower body clenched, and wetness dampened her panties. Holy fuck!

  She gasped, and at the yielding sound he tightened his grip on her hair, demanding more.

  “Nick, stop,” she whispered against his lips. “I can’t do this. Not in public.”

  He nodded, giving her lips one last brush. “I know you feel what’s starting between us, too. I felt your cat purr, Mikki,” he whispered.

  “Excuse me?” She blinked, stepping back from him.

  At the confused hesitation on her face, he burst out laughing. “Whoa, do you think I was being poetic about your lady parts?”

  She lifted her chin. “Well? Weren’t you? I’m not a prude, Nick, but talking about my cat purring—” She crooked her fingers into quotes, “—is a little too much for a first kiss.”

  He laughed even louder. “No. Oh, God, no! I said I felt your cat purr, because I did. Your inner cat. As in your dual nature. When two shifters have a true connection, their animals sense each other.”

  High color stained her cheeks, and she closed her eyes, clearly embarrassed.

  “Look at me, Mikki.” Nick slipped his fingers under her chin, lifting her face.

  She opened her eyes and he smiled, leaning down to brush her lips again. “Wolves don’t purr, but we definitely growl, and mine did. Loud and clear”

  His smile widened at the ghost of a smirk touching her lips. “Look, I’m not going to push, but right now there’s no one else I want to spend time with, day or night.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, but he rested a finger over her lips. “All I ask is that you think about it, but whatever your decision about me, please call about an appointment with my attorney.”

  Nick stepped back but lifted her hand to his lips as she held the napkin with his number. “We can take it from there. No pressure, no complications.”

  She nodded without a word, sliding her hand from his to put the napkin in her pocket. With an exhale, she looked outside. “Think the snow leopards are still out?”

  “We could take a look and see.” He glanced at his watch. “The zoo closes in about forty-five minutes. Short days are the only problem with loving the zoo in winter.” He paused. “You game?”

  Her eyes met his. “Sure, why not?”

  Nick picked up their trays and walked across the room toward the one open trash receptacle, leaving her alone at the table.

  Mikki watched the way he moved and inhaled, closing her eyes again. Sure, why not? The words ran over her tongue again and she swallowed any doubts that might kill the moment.

  Her whole life she had played by her family’s philosophy of live and let live, letting nature take its course. Nature.

  Her inner cat purred.

  Who knew?

  Need vibrated through her body from the moment Nick’s tongue touched hers, making her mind race at the raw hunger sparked. It didn’t get more natural than that.

  The instant feeling shook her to her core, yet she didn’t know enough about her dual-natured self to recognize the sensation. So, what did she do instead of figuring it out? She pushed Nick away. Talk about a kneejerk cowardly reaction.

  Mikki frowned. She was a lot of things, but cowardly wasn’t one of them. Still, girlfriend or not, Nick was interested enough to give her the chance to change her mind. And there was no deceit in his scent. No pretense a regular guy might use to try and get over. A man like Nick didn’t need game. At least not like that.

  With a quick breath, she nodded to herself and walked to where Nick waited by the door. The snow leopards waited, and so did her inner cat.

  Sure, why not?

  Chapter Six

  “What is with you today? That’s the third porcelain angel you’ve dropped since we opened.” Carmela watched Mikki bent to sweep up yet an
other broken knickknack. “You got a vendetta against the divine or just stacking the odds against us because Old Viagra Dude is selling us out from under. C’mon, Miks. It’s Friday.”

  Mikki straightened with the dustpan in her hand. “I am not stacking the odds against us with anyone, divine or otherwise.” The lid on the trash bin sprang open and she dumped the broken glass into the garbage with a dull clunk. “And stop calling him Old Viagra Dude. He was pretty good to us.”

  Carmela snorted. “Until now.”

  Mikki shoved the dustpan onto a shelf beneath the register and then straightened again, raking a hand through auburn curls.

  “Something’s up.” Carmela’s hand gestured to the full Starbucks cup beside a stack of sales receipts. “You haven’t said more than a dozen words since you walked in this morning, and your coffee is untouched.”

  “So?” Mikki replied, only half paying attention.

  Carmela walked around the register to where Mikki stood fiddling with yesterday’s mail. “So?” she repeated. “It’s almost noon. By now, you’ve not only drank your coffee, but mine as well.”

  She laid a hand on Mikki’s arm. “What happened yesterday after you left? You got back pretty late, but I chalked that up to you wandering the zoo to clear your head.”

  “It started out that way.” Mikki sighed, dumping the mail on the counter with an exhale.

  “And?” Carmela prompted.

  Mikki looked at her friend and shrugged. “I ran into someone.”

  “At the zoo?”

  Mikki nodded but didn’t look up.

  “Who?”

  She looked at her friend. “No one, really.”

  Mel blinked at first, but a calculated grin slowly replaced any initial confusion.

  Busted.

  “Not one customer all morning, yet not a single word from you. Okay, Miss Hook-up Pants, who is he?”

  Heat raced up Mikki’s cheeks and turned, too excited to stand still. “I met him by the Polar Circle. He was…was…” Her hand came up to hide an embarrassing snicker. “To be honest, I never asked what he was doing at the zoo in the middle of the day, but he said he prefers it there in winter.”

  Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Mel leaned on the back counter. “So he hates people, too.”

  “No.” Mikki reorganized the mail pile again. “And I don’t hate people. I’m simply not a fan of crowds.”

  Carmela smirked. “Or the people in them.”

  “Cut that out. There’s a distinct difference, Mel.”

  “Nice try, Mother Teresa. Just sayin’,” Carmela replied, snatching the pile of letters from her friend. “So, give me the details. What’s he like?”

  Mikki shrugged. “Nice, I guess.”

  “Nice?” Carmela asked, but then lifted a hand when Mikki opened her mouth to explain. “Let me guess. He’s a trust fund nerd with pasty skin and an asthma inhaler, who spends all his free time categorizing animals by Latin sub-species, while at the same time complaining how he can’t go on a true safari because of his health.”

  “Ha, ha.” Mikki snorted.

  “I mean, who else goes to the zoo in zero-degree weather?”

  “You mean besides me,” Mikki replied, reaching for an extra roll of register tape. “If you must know, this guy is the total opposite of a pasty-skinned, asthma nerd. He’s a wolf, Mel. As in wolf shifter. With all the hotness that implies.”

  Carmela’s eyebrow shot up so fast Mikki had to laugh. “So much for your, ‘just sayin’.’”

  “And?”

  Shrugging again, Mikki played it cool. “And nothing. From his clothes and the posh watch on his wrist, I’d say he’s got money, but I didn’t get a trust fund vibe.”

  “Mikki, c’mon!” Carmela grumbled. “I couldn’t care less if he’s the son of a Saudi prince. You said hot shifter! On which side of the zoo does he belong? Is he tame or do you need to bring a leash on your next date?” She waggled her eyebrows. “Leads to all kinds of possibilities.”

  Mikki laughed out loud. “Leash? Only if he’s into that kind of kinky. He’s fucking gorgeous, Mel. I’m talking wet panties and fill your fantasies gorgeous! And he spoke to me first! Of course, I nearly tripped over my tongue, but hey—”

  “Okay, then.” Carmela nodded, impressed. “Does this hunky shifter have a name? Did you at least talk to him, or just drool?”

  “His name is Nick. He bought us lunch and we sat for hours just chatting.” Mikki grinned. “Can you believe it? It was like a dream. Well, until his girlfriend called.”

  “Wait. Girlfriend?” Mel repeated.

  Meeting her friend’s eyes, she nodded. “Yeah, but Nick let the call go to voicemail. To be honest, I gave him a polite brush off after that, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  “Wouldn’t take no for an answer.” Carmela’s brow went up again, concerned. “Do we need to call the cops?”

  “You watch too much Law and Order SVU. I meant he wouldn’t take no for an answer about me not wanting his number. He kissed me, Mel, and BAM! Holy electric shock syndrome! I nearly lost all cohesive thought. I’m lucky I had sense enough to put the brakes on or I would have straddled the boy right next to my French fries.”

  Carmela’s eyes went wide. “Holy shit, girl! You’re no nun, but you aren’t an exhibitionist, either. You sure there wasn’t something more to this than you’re letting on?”

  “That’s just it.” She lifted a hand, unsure. “You know my story. My parents always said, if you’re meant to shift, you will. If not—” she shrugged.

  Mel nodded. “So?”

  “So, I have no frame of reference on how shifters are supposed to react when serious attraction happens. This was no like-attracts-like thing. This was a goddamned head-on collision.”

  Carmela chuckled. “Wow.”

  “Seriously. I purred, Mel. Literally and figuratively,” she replied. “Like a cat. A real cat! Who the hell knew shifters did that?”

  Both of Carmela’s eyebrows shot up this time. “You mean to tell me you never slept with another shifter?”

  “Out of everything I just said, that’s what grabs your attention? I fucking purred, Mel. And no, I never slept with a shifter. It wasn’t a conscious decision. The possibility never presented itself before.”

  “You mean before now.” Carmela completed the thought.

  Mikki ran a hand through her hair. “I suppose. If we were anywhere else less public, I would have. When Nick kissed me, my whole body went up in flame. I was so turned on I got out of the cab on the way back to the shop and walked the last five blocks without my coat.”

  “Damn.” Carmela stared at her friend. “Please tell me you’re seeing this guy again. If not for yourself, then do it for me. My love life is a total flat line.”

  Mikki gave her half a shrug. “I don’t know. Nick told me he was in real estate or property management something or other. He offered his attorney to help us deal with the new landlord, but I’m not sure I want to go there.”

  “Girl! Are you nuts? A free attorney to fight Old Viagra Dude and his buyer?”

  Exhaling, Mikki shook her head. “Accepting Nick’s help obligates me, Mel. I’m not sure I want to be put in that position.”

  She picked up her stale coffee and went to take a sip but put it down again.

  “Dude,” Carmela took the Starbucks cup from her hand and tossed it in the trash. “If you honestly walked five city-blocks in zero-degree weather because this guy got you that hot and bothered, you known damn well you’ll bend yourself into whatever position he wants. Who could blame you?”

  Mikki sniffed. “I am not about to turn myself into a human game of sexual twister. Not for this guy or anyone else. Especially not when his gorgeous, model-thin girlfriend calls him at the drop of a hat.”

  “He kissed you, right? He pursued you,” Carmela countered.

  “So?”

  “This guy wants you, Mikki. That much is obvious. Plus, if your reaction to him is the way you
said, then you want him, too. He’s a shifter. Maybe he realized bones are for dogs and that wolves want a juicy piece of—”

  “Mel!” Mikki cut her off. “I am not a piece of ass. For him or anyone else. If I call Nick—and that’s a big if—it will be to get to know him better. Not to roll around like a bitch in heat.”

  The door jingled, disturbing the quiet. The UPS guy walked in with a large box tucked onto his hip. “Hey, ladies.” He nodded to Carmela. “This needs a Jane Hancock.” He held out the stylus for delivery confirmation. “Who wants the honors?”

  Mikki signed the tablet and then waited for the UPS guy to leave before turning back to Carmela.

  “And I’m certainly not going to call Nick just for his offer of free legal advice,” Mikki continued, not missing a beat. “That’s feels too opportunistic. Sort of gold-diggery.”

  “For the record, it’s neither opportunistic nor gold-diggery. It’s smart. Maybe Nick’s lawyer does pro bono work, and he’s simply referring you to him for that.”

  Mikki turned the box around and grabbed the scissors from the cup next to the register. “Possibly, but you forget I’m a shifter, too,” she said, pointing the scissors toward Carmela. “I might not be as attuned as I should, but my senses are still sharp enough to know there’s more to Nick’s initial story than what he let on. If he turns out to be a decent guy looking for a friend or possibly something more, then maybe. Until then, the jury is out, and my options remain open.”

  She punched a hole in the packing tape along the box’s seam and then slit he top open with a single stroke.

  “Wow. Lucky you’re aiming all that pent up sexual energy at a cardboard box and not me.” Carmela hooked her thumb toward the opposite side of the shop. “On that note, I think I’ll go dust the shelves over there. You know, keep a safe distance, in case you spontaneously self-combust or something.”

  “Ha, ha,” Mikki pulled a handful of used paperbacks from the box before heading for the bookshelf ladder to the right of the register.

  The door jingled again, and both she and Carmela turned. “Wow,” Carmela murmured. “Mention spontaneous combustion and it walks through the door. Is that Nick?” She gave the guy in the doorway an appreciative once over.