Jiao left her brother with her heart heavy with sorrow and, at the same time, bursting with joy. On the one hand, Jiao would get to explore the feelings Chris evoked. Discover if he was her mate as she suspected. Indulge in things she'd yet to experience like flirting and maybe even a kiss. But, on the other hand, Jiao hated going against her brother's wishes. Sure Jiao didn't reply when Sheng asked her for a promise to stay away, didn't lie to Sheng's face, but only because she knew she couldn't stop herself from finding out more about this Chris. From seeing him. Touching him. Hugging her brother's stiff body, Jiao bit her lip at the realization Sheng already guessed her plan. How she wished she could find her brother a mate of his own so he'd agree once and for all to drop the charade. Or, if that proved impossible, at least help him get laid so he'd lose some of his uptight attitude. Some relationship doctor on a late night show claimed sex cured everything. It w
Chris got the phone call late in the afternoon telling him he got the job and to show up the next day at nine a.m. Letting out a whoop of victory, Chris grabbed his mother and swung her around. Sighing, she tsked him when he set her on her feet. "Calm down. What did I tell you about taking it easy? And what happened to showing a girl a good time first before chasing after the married one?" "You want me to cheat on my mate?" He drew himself up with an indignant huff. "You're sure she's your mate?" "Absolutely. I can't stop thinking about her, ma. It's all I can do to stop myself from marching over there and claiming her." "My baby boy is in lust." "Love." "It's too soon to call it that," his mother admonished. "You don't even know this girl. She could be a right bitch for all you know. Just because fate wants to tie you together doesn't mean it's a match made in heaven." "Pessimist." Her words of caution couldn't penetrate his bubble of ex
Jack let Chris into the house when he returned the Friday before Thanksgiving. Not catching sight of Jill, Chris couldn't help asking, "Where's the wife?" "Work. You won't be running into her much. I got a key made for you. I want you to restrict your work hours to between nine and four thirty when we're both at work." How devious of Jack. Did he suspect Chris's interest? "It will take a lot longer to get the job done," Chris warned. "I don't mind staring early and finishing late." Baring his teeth in a smile that didn't reach his eyes, Jack replied. "Take as long as you need. I don't mind paying a little extra to ensure my wife and I retain our privacy." Chris didn't miss the emphasis and jealousy reared its head. However, punching his employer on day one probably wouldn't go over well. He gnashed his teeth as he followed Jack to the basement. He needed to find a way to change the husband's mind about his work hours. The whole point of getting the job was to ru
Jiao heard someone knocking at the door but ignored it. House rule number one when Jack went out was 'don't answer the door'. So she didn't and nearly peed her pants when someone opened the front door. Worse, she couldn't smell them because she'd caught a cold and with her nose stuffy ? red too, from blowing, ick ? she didn't know if friend or foe entered. Although, considering they had no friends, foe seemed more likely. Grabbing a hold of the rolling pin she was using to make a pie crust for the quiche she'd planned for lunch, she vetoed the hallway which would have meant a direct confrontation with the intruder and instead, slunk through the dining and living room area coming up behind the stranger in the front hall. Wearing a plaid shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, he seemed really large and imposing. Shutting her eyes tight, she swung. The object of her whack, grunted, and she opened her eyes to see him still standing, so she swung again. Down he went in a sprawl
Perturbed at what happened upstairs ? I almost kissed a married woman! ? Chris took up where he left off the day before, letting the calming monotone of work ? hold nail, hammer, hold nail, hammer ? bring his frenzied state of mind down a notch. His mate attacked him. A fact his brothers would think was hilarious. In his defense, Chris didn't smell her approach, not with the scent of her all over the house. And she'd not actually hurt him. Surprised him yes, but as soon as she got the first hit in, he'd guessed who wielded the weapon. Not wanting to frighten her, he'd let her get in a second lick and feigned falling to the floor unconscious. His ploy gave him a great excuse to touch her and he'd almost gotten to kiss her. Almost got to taste the lips haunting his dreams. Her ill-timed sneeze ruined it, and in a sense saved him from himself. What would she think of a man, a virtual stranger, manhandling her and stealing a kiss? She'd think him a right jerk especially conside
When Jiao answered the door later that day, just after dinner time, a woman about her height with graying hair pulled into a pony tail, stood there. A familiar scent washed over her. The stranger smelled an awful lot like Chris, which meant? "Hi. You must be Jill. I'm Meredith Grayson, Chris's mother, also head of the Shifter Welcome Committee for the Ottawa area. Nice to meet you." Jiao clasped the outstretched hand and shook it, wondering at the woman's presence. Did she come to warn me away from her son? Oh please, no. If Sheng heard anything of the sort, he'd have them packed and gone by the morning. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am." "Oh goodness. Call me Meredith. We don't stand on formalities around here." Remembering her manners Jiao opened the door wider. "Would you like to come in for a cup of tea or coffee?" "Perhaps another time. I'm in full prep mode for Thanksgiving dinner, but I thought I'd take a little break and pop on over to introduce mysel
Sheng, despite the nagging doubt in his gut, didn't cancel their dinner plans the next day. He could see how much Jiao wanted to go. How she chafed at their boring existence and he understood how she felt, because their hiding tired him, too. But he preferred a stale existence to captivity. A part of him understood their chances of discovery were slim despite their unique heritage, after all, Asians were in evidence all over Canada. Heck, he'd even spotted a few shifter ones in this very neighborhood, not spotted leopards of course, but still rare breeds for the climate. On the surface, he and his sister would pass muster. However, he feared them relaxing their guard. Getting too comfortable. Letting the wrong person know or see who they were inside. One wrong word or observation to someone related to Kaleb and it could all end. One harmless Facebook picture, or Twitter and poof, they could end up back in their cage in the mountains, prized pets brought out to perform, earn
Late Sunday afternoon, the doorbell rang, but Chris didn't pay it any attention. Despite the packed living room and family room, it seemed more people had arrived, his mother's fault for being such a good cook. Who could blame so many of his family, friends and neighbors for showing up? No sane person could resist the mouthwatering smells coming from the kitchen ? and the slap on his hand was well worth the taste. The glimpse he'd gotten of the pumpkin pie, with whipped cream on top, made him want to do battle so he wouldn't have to share. He restrained himself though from rescuing the pie. The last time he did that ? trying to sneak off with it to the woods with a single fork ? the pie got destroyed when his brothers caught him. 'No, not my precious,' he'd cried as it soared in the air and hit the floor upside down. Pissed, his mother had him and his brothers doing slave chores for weeks afterward. Years later, he still mourned the loss of the pie no one got to taste. Over
Nothing ever felt more right than the first time Derrick sank balls deep into Janine. Unless he counted the second time and then the third. Over and over, he claimed her that night, the next day, all that week as she took some time off work for them to explore their new relationship. And yes, they were in a relationship. She's my mate now. And soon, she'd be his wife. He'd already asked for and received permission from Orson and Janine's mother. A conversation that went along the lines of? "I'm going to marry your daughter." "I get to plan the wedding." "I'll have you cremated if you hurt her." Derrick could already tell they'd fit in well with his family. Snap.*Epilogue An exaggerated groan left Derrick as he heaved Janine out of the car. The sound totally deserved a laser-hot glare. "Are you implying something?" No denying she was a little more rotund these days. He pulled her close, not caring that her big belly got in the way. A smile tugged
With Derrick buried in the bosom of his family, Janine slipped away before the tears blurring her gaze were noticed. Derrick had survived the surgery and seemed about to beat the odds. He would recover, which meant it was time for her to go. Even if I love him. And she did love him. Loved him so much that she couldn't be with him. She knew Derrick thought himself in love with her, that she was his mate. Much as she wanted to believe that, she couldn't. He'd fallen for her only because, at the time, he depended on her. Acting as his therapist meant their close involvement brought them together and imbued him with a false sense of intimacy. I think the intimacy came from you letting him touch you. Acts that shouldn't have happened, and yet, she didn't regret. It made leaving so much harder, but she did it now while she could. Now while he had his family and the promise of a bright future ahead of him. Let him get on with his life. Find a woman to settle dow
The hot satisfaction at having brought down the enemy paled before the panicked realization that Derrick couldn't move. Not a single damned muscle. The cold reality sent his wolf into hiding, pulling back from the dead weight of his body and leaving only human flesh. Flesh that felt nothing but the tips of her fingers on his cheeks as she cradled his head. "Derrick. Oh God, why did you do that?" She hugged his head, and if the moment weren't so dire, he might have enjoyed being buried against her plush tits. But all he could think was, This is the last time. The last time he'd smell her or feel her touch because he'd fucked up majorly in skipping the surgery and now paid the price. Since he didn't expect he'd get another chance, he whispered, "I love you," which only caused her to rock and hug tighter. In a voice thick with tears, she retorted, "This better not be one of those goodbye speeches. You're going to be fine. We'll get you in for that surgery, and ever
Doctor's Pet. She read the title in gleaming silver letters on the back of Derrick's chair as he whipped by with a whoop, well ahead of his brothers in their own colorful chariots. When she'd come across some orderlies watching something out the window, she'd not expected to see the Grayson clan gathered out front, clapping and hollering at the participants in the wheelchair races. It wasn't even just Derrick and his brothers playing. They'd gotten several other patients to join in too. Given the speed at which they raced, a fear for their safety made her want to march out that door and tell them to stop, but an old adage came to mind-boys will be boys. And men would do stupid things that resulted in stitches for, as Stu said upon meeting her, "Shits and giggles." The main surgeon for the rehab center came to stand beside her. "Looks like fun," he noted. "Yes. Dangerous, though," she added. "These men have been to hell and back. Do you really want to
The feel of her on his fingers proved exhilarating, but it couldn't compare to her intoxicating taste. A man parched, Derrick lapped at her, savoring her womanly cream and humming with pure male satisfaction at how she clenched and pushed against him, her body craving more of his touch. He couldn't have stopped if he wanted to. Too long he'd craved her. Too long he'd denied the unmistakable truth. Janine is mine. And for this moment at least, he couldn't find the strength to push her away. I'm tired of fighting what I want. Time for a little selfishness. He lapped at her sweet button, feeling it swell at his flicks. He pumped his fingers in and out of the moistness of her sex, loving how she gripped him tight. Her excitement built, reaching a crescendo, and he felt just as coiled as her, poised on the edge. He pistoned his fingers in her as his lips pinched her swollen button. A low cry began to keen from her lips. She smashed a pillow over her face as her body arched
Something woke Janine from a light slumber. She lay in bed, one half of her face squashed against her pillow, listening. Not even the creak of joists shifting broke the heavy silence. Holding her breath a moment longer, she tested the ambiance of the room. Is anyone here? Am I alone? Her senses craned, seeking that sense of vitality that only another person could emit. She sought another presence, a reason for waking, and felt nothing. She exhaled with relief. No bogeyman tonight. For those who might mock her, she had no problem admitting a fear of the dark, especially the particular shade it achieved in the middle of the night. Dark deeds often happened under night's shadow. And sometimes a little girl wakes and opens her eyes to see bloodshot ones staring right at her. The shriek she uttered proved piercing. The scarier thing? Daddy screamed at an even higher pitch. But that had happened a long time ago. Only the one time, but it left an impression. She'
The tingling awareness of her presence faded as Janine moved from the doorway of the game room. He'd known she watched him. Felt her eyes on him the moment she appeared and missed her gaze when she left. It took him gripping the wheels of his chair not to chase after her. Having her out of his line of sight didn't sit well, and not just because of all the people roaming around. Earlier, when they'd first arrived, he'd also hated sending her off into the kitchen with her mother. Then again, it was probably a good thing Red didn't stay because the first thing Derrick tried to do was get her out of his life. "I want a new shrink." On his way to a bar, fetching a drink of something with a fiery kick, Orson paused. "Is there a problem with my daughter?" "No." "Then why the request?" The council member uncorked a decanter and poured some amber liquid into glasses. He handed one to Derrick before taking a seat on the couch. "Do you want her removed because she's
Despite the mishap in locating Derrick-I really thought I'd have to hunt him down and force him-the road trip passed rather peacefully. Despite the sexual tension between them, there was also a genuine like for one another, and when he wasn't barbing her or trying to push Janine away, they could have the most interesting conversations. It passed the long trip. While Derrick started out driving, the highway part of the route being the longest, she took over once they hit an exit. She made sure to give him a pit stop so he could use a washroom, and she said not a word about the fact that he took a few minutes longer than other people to do his business and glared at those who dared to complain outside the locked door. As she took the familiar twists and turns to her parents' house, she couldn't help a touch of anxiousness. How would her stepdad react? With her, Orson was the most lovable teddy bear a girl could ask for, but with anyone he thought threatened her? Poor Jeremy w
Red stalked into his room, swinging the door open in a familiarity that apparently didn't see a need to knock. "Derrick, we need to-Uh. Oh." Her outburst ended on a gasp. Probably because she got more of a glimpse than she expected Splayed on top of covers still drawn tight, one hundred percent naked, and bound-the height of emasculation-he glared. "Were you raised in a barn?" Something his mother used to accuse him of when he lacked manners. His Aunt Joni took great offense at that expression and claimed it was those raised as ci-diots that were the problem with morality nowadays. A shame they feuded for years on end. Aunt Joni's pie was worth the occasional brawl between sisters. Janine's head ducked. He could only imagine the pinkness of her expressive cheeks. "Sorry. I didn't think. I'll come back later when you're not so, um, er, tied up," she stammered. The things she could do to me right now? For a moment, he almost imagined a spark, enough that he said t