Page 10 of Purrfectly Bound
“I mean it. He’s wearing a suit, all dressed up like a stud. Doesn’t he look sexy? Ooof!” Elissa’s breath left her lungs as the Neta swung her into his arms.
“Woman, you had me thinking something happened to you! Sexy? I will show you sexy,” he smacked her ass, which elicited a response Lance would rather die than witness.
“Oh Hunter,” Elissa growled, but her eyes swung back to Lance a second longer before lust could take over the ruling couple, “Lance, make sure you are on your best behavior! And compliment her! No sex until you talk to her!”
The Neta spanked his mate again, dragging another moan from her lips, before he carted her off to their bedroom. Lance shivered. Blech. It was like listening to your parents or worse, catching them doing it.
“Why me?” he whispered and rolled his eyes.
He checked his watch. It was half an hour until their reservation, but the cabin was minutes away. Still, he supposed they’d have to drive to the event and all.
Sighing, Lance grabbed the keys to his custom Range Rover P525 and headed out the door in his suit and tie. The SUV had black leather interior with soft, orange LED lights on the floors. It reminded him of his Tiger, so he’d bought the thing on sight.
True, he worked on the Maverick Development as one of the Beta’s crew, but that was more for the physical release and sense of companionship. He did a lot of computer work for the Pride as well. Keeping their paperwork, licenses, birth certificates from looking suspect. Shifters aged differently than humans, but it was important to blend in.
Whether he worked outdoors with the crew, or online in the office, he did his part for the community. There was nothing like putting in a day’s work to make a man feel good.
But he made his real money investing. Lance was great with numbers, and his uncanny ability to pick startups to back was like no other. He’d reaped some pretty hefty rewards over the years. But aside from his car, and the occasional vacation, he had little use for his money.
He’d recently built the little log cabin he was driving to on a piece of land he’d bought from the Pride. It was secluded, and yet had all the modern amenities necessary to be comfortable. Electricity, plumbing, gas. The ten surrounding acres were secluded woods that allowed him to Shift and roam in his fur.
It was ideal, but lonely. He needed someone to share it with. It had been sitting there, empty for weeks. Elissa was the one who’d asked him to loan it to Gerri’s friend. Of course, he did without hesitation. At the time he didn’t know said friend was his blind date.
Lance knew Mrs. Wilder’s reputation preceded her, but he wasn’t holding his breath. Besides, with his Tiger behaving the way he was, even if she was his mate, he wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing about it. Not that he wanted his unfortunate physical state to become known.
Fucking hell. Anxiety filled him as he exited the vehicle and knocked on the door. Snow was falling more rapidly, and the wind was blowing hard. Still, he was a Shifter. He tended to run a little hotter than most. Hell, he hadn’t even bothered with a heavy coat.
“One minute,” a voice called from inside, and he felt his entire body tense.
His Tiger pushed forward, leaving his chest muscles straining against the silk shirt of the suit Gerri had insisted he wear. Lance hated getting dressed up, but they were headed to the Winter Wonderland Wine & Tapas Event for Charity.
The tickets were five-thousand dollars a person. All proceeds went to benefit an environmental organization working on preserving the Pine Barrens. Something, as a Shifter, he felt very strongly about. Tickets purchased, suit on, he’d headed out with the intention of enjoying a mundane night out.
Only now, his entire being seemed on high alert. As he listened to the lock on the door turn, Lance sucked in a deep breath. Holy fuck. That did not work out as intended. He’d thought to calm himself, but the delicious scent he’d sucked in only whet his appetite further.
The most intoxicating fragrance he’d ever smelled wrapped around his senses. Like a soft, warm hand brushing across his arms, chest, belly, all the way down to his suddenly rock-hard cock. It was chocolate and cherries, laced with chili peppers that left a good, honest sizzle after the sweet was gone.
Well, that was one question answered, he thought, and adjusted his too-tight pants.
His Tiger roared in his head. The heavenly-scented female was pulling the door all the way open. Finally, he saw her. The entire world fell away and he damn near swallowed his tongue.
The woman was gorgeous. Soft curves perfectly outlined in a crimson velvet dress that enhanced the olive tone of her skin and deep, chestnut hues in her hair. Eyes the color of one of those chocolate bars, the expensive kind with eighty-percent cacao, flashed at him from under long, curled lashes. Lance was a goner.
“Mine,” he whispered at the same time a gust of wind blew, whisking his words away before the beautiful normal could hear them.
Thank fuck. He breathed again. Yes, she was human. If she knew Gerri, she knew about Shifters, but still, Lance needed to cool it or risk scaring her.
“Hi, I’m Annalia Reese. You can call me Anna, though. I hope you don’t mind that Mrs. Wilder set this up,” she smiled, “she was really quite insistent,” she walked back inside leaving him to follow.
“I just need my coat. And I’m sorry, what did you say when I opened the door? The wind was blowing, and I couldn’t hear you.”
Lance opened and closed his mouth a few times like a total fucking idiot. It was her. She was his one. He was certain.
This woman was his fated mate, and she was standing right in front of him. He wanted to cart her off to the bedroom. To make love to her in a thousand and one ways. To kiss her, claim her, until she wore his scent, bore his mark, and was swollen with his cubs.
“I’m Lance,” he cleared his throat, “Um, sorry. I’m Lance Jacosa. I work for Maverick Development, and yes, Mrs. Wilder set this up, I hope you are okay with that?”
“Sure, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. No harm in a date, right?” she frowned.