Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
R yker stood outside the Italian restaurant, and plastered a smile on his face when he saw his oldest son, Luke, walking toward him. Picking a place to eat that was right next door to the sheriff's office had been the only flaw in his plan, and he knew his dinner would be interrupted more than once tonight.
"Hey, dad." Luke walked right up to him, stood at his side, and looked up and down the street.
Ryker's smile grew as pride filled him. He loved all of his sons—and the men they'd become—and he was proud of all three of them.
Luke had always been the peacemaker of the family, and his calm and logical thinking made him an excellent sheriff, even in a town where the crime rate was relatively low.Hell, that ability to stay calm when everything went to shit was what had kept him alive when he'd been abandoned at the young age of seven.
Ryker had been barely an adult when he'd found the boy, but he never regretted adopting his son and becoming aparent so early in life.
"Hey, son. How's work?"
"Normal," Luke laughed. "What are you doing?"
Yeah, cause what he was doing was completely not normal, and he knew Luke would ask questions if he spotted him out here. Still, he hadn't wanted to wait inside for Carly.
"Just waiting."
"Waiting for what?"
He sighed. He'd known being evasive would never work. Luke was too damn aware of everything around him, and he'd always been the one to find out all of the details before making a decision on things.
"I have a date."
"A date?" Luke's eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning, and he knew Noah and Rhys would know the information before the other man made it back to his office. "With who?"
He understood his son's shock. He never dated, and if he shared a meal with someone, which was rare, it was never with anyone in town. Hell, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been on an actual date, and he glanced down at his outfit, suddenly wondering if he looked okay.
Fuck! His woman was making him crazy!
His woman? What the hell? They hadn't even had dinner yet. He didn't know anything about her, and wasn't sure if he'd ever see her again after tonight... Except, deep down, he knew he would. She was different from anyone he'd ever met, and his bear was desperate to mark her. Unlike his first mate, his animal actually liked Carly, and they didn't even know her yet.
Luckily, he wasn't as impulsive as the animal. After the last time, he knew he never wanted another mate, but even though he was determined to stay single, Carly called to his human side almost as much as she called to his bear. He'd be a fool not to at least enjoy her company for a little bit.
That last thought didn't sit right, but he pushed the feelings away and focused on his son.
"Her name is Carly Masters, and she's new in town. I did some work on her car, and she came to pick it up late this afternoon. That's how we met. Now get out of here because she'll be here any minute, and I don't want you hanging around when she arrives."
"Okay, okay," Luke laughed, putting up his hands in surrender and taking a step back. "I'm going. You look great by the way. Have fun!"
Ryker shook his head as Luke ran back to the sheriff's office, and he made a note to warn Carly about his sons. He knew they wouldn't stick around and be a nuisance, but his boys were definitely going to show up and get a good look at his woman.
Good...then they'll know to stay away from her.
The unfamiliar, possessive thought shocked him, especially since it was directed at his boys, but he wasn't sorry. He didn't have a problem with the other men being around her in a family capacity, but even though they were closer to her age, Carly was his, and he didn't want anyone else—especially his boys—thinking she was available to date.
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
Damn! I am so screwed.
He didn't want mate, and yet, he was ready to take Carly off the market before they'd even gotten through their first date. Hell, he might not even like her. Maybe she was a bitch who kicked puppies in her spare time or something. Maybe she hated bears and wanted to hunt them all down while they slept in their dens. Hell, maybe she was just a gold digger looking for money. He wasn't loaded, but he did have a very substantial savings. Maybe she was just looking for a sugar daddy to buy her a new car.
He wanted her, but he also needed to keep some perspective. She could be exactly like his ex, and despite the pull he felt toward her, he was never going through that again.
God… Maybe this date had been a bad idea after all.
He glanced at his watch, and noticed that she was already late. It was only two minutes, but maybe she'd stood him up. Maybe he'd been obsessing over her for nothing, and she wouldn't even show.He glanced down the street, impatient and angry, but when he caught a glimpse of Carly, all of his wayward thoughts disappeared.
She looked like a goddess walking toward him, and all he could do was stare.
Unlike earlier, her hair was down, and the long, wavy locks were parted down the middle. It was easier to see the golden highlights with this style, and they shimmered as they caught the light of all of the businesses and streetlights she passed. She wore a dark brown coat that hung down to her mid-thigh, and it hung open allowing him to see a pretty, pink top and dark jeans that accented all of her curves. Her calves were encased in boots the same color as her coat, and for the first time in his life, he was jealous of a pair of shoes.
Though he only wore a sweater and jeans, the weather had cooled down a few degrees from when he'd seen her earlier, and anger flared as hebriefly wondered why she hadn't fastened her coat.When she stopped and pulled her phone out of her pocket, the look on her face caused a different emotion to swamp him.Something on that text had made her angry, and he didn't like the idea of anyone bothering his mate.
She shoved the phone back in her pocket without typing a response, and then she looked up and smiled at him and all thought fled his mind as his dick started to swell.
Fuck, she was gorgeous!
Serious cavemaninstincts were telling him to skip the meal, throw her over his shoulder, and take her to his secret spot. Once he had her there, he would strip her bare, and then lick and kiss every part of her body. By the time he was done, his scent would be embedded in her skin, and everyone would know who she belonged to.
Well, every shifter, and that was enough. For now. For the humans, he'd put a ring on her finger and dare anyone to come near her. Those thoughts both excited and scared him, and he shook his head, trying to clear the crazy, and willed his cock to go down. They were having dinner, that was all, and he wasn't getting married—or marking anyone—any time soon.
"Hi," she said when she reached him. "Everything okay?"
Her smile had fallen just a little bit, and he hated that he'd been the one to make that happen.
"You look gorgeous," he practically growled the words. "And everything is perfect."
Her radiant smile returned, and his bear preened beneath the surface.
"Thank you. Sorry I'm late. The free lot is practically full, and I had to park near the back. It took me longer to walk here than I thought it would. You should have waited for me inside."
"No," he growled again, affrontedthat she thought he would enter the dwelling without her. "We enter together. Unless you're here before me, then you wait inside."
"Okay," she smiled again.
"Good." He put his hand on the small of her back, and led her to the front door. "Are you hungry?"
"Starving," she laughed. "What about you?"
"I'm definitely starving."
Her eyes sparkled at his words, and he had a feeling she knew his hunger had nothing to do with food.
Once inside the restaurant, the hostess took them to the table in the back he'd asked them to hold for him, and he took her coat and placed it on one side of the round booth at the same time he motioned her to slide in the other side. He loved that she slid to the middle so he could slide in behind her with no questions asked, because there was no way he was sitting across from her at the huge table.
Her knee casually bumped his as they looked over the menu, and he found that he liked the feeling way too much. He also liked that she wanted a pizza with everything on it—his favorite—and that she wanted breadsticks, too. He liked to enjoy his food, and shifters ate a ton. While he didn't care how much she ate, he hated it when a woman ordered something smalland then just picked at her plate and watched him eat.
After the waitress took their order, he glanced toward the front of the restaurant and openly groaned.
"I'm sorry in advance," he laughed. "I thought I'd have more time to warn you, but we're about to have visitors."
"What?"She glanced at Luke walking toward them, and her smile slightly fell. "What do you mean? What's going on?"
"That's my son, Luke, and I'm guessing the other two will be by shortly."
"Are they...," she glanced at Luke again. "Are they here to check me out?"
Her eyes sparkled, but her smile didn't meet her eyes, and he didn't miss the slight worry in her voice.
"Yes, but only because you're the first date I've had in years, and they want to meet the woman responsible for that."
C arly gaped at Ryker. She really wanted to know more about why this man hadn't dated in years, but she didn't have time to ask any questions, because suddenly, Luke was there, standing at the edge of their table.
"Hi, I'm Luke," he said, stretching his arm across the table.
She started to reach for his hand, but stopped when Ryker pushed his arm away.
"Carly, this is my son, Luke. Luke, this is Carly."
The sheriff had a huge grin on his face, and she couldn't help but notice that he wasn't that young. At least he didn't look it. He actually looked right around her age, and Ryker definitely didn't look old enough to be this man's father.
"It's nice to meet you, Luke," she smiled.
"Okay, you've seen her," Ryker growled, "now let us eat in peace, and tell your brothers to say home."
"You know that's not happening," Luke laughed. "But, I'm leaving. Bye, Carly, I hope to see you again soon."
They both watched the sheriff walk away without looking back, and once the man was outside, Ryker spoke before she could.
"Sorry about that," he sighed. "The other two should be here shortly, and then we can finish our date without any more interruptions. Well, unless my niece shows up, which is a very real possibility. She's the one you spoke to on the phone. She works the front desk for me part-time until lunch."
Carly smiled, happy to know more about this man, including who the woman he worked with was. Still, he didn't look old enough to have full-grown sons, and she wasn't going to hold back on her questions.
"Is the sheriff really your son? He looks about my age, and you definitely don't look old enough to be his father."
"He probably is your age," he laughed. "But he is my son. I adopted him when I was eighteen and he was eight. The twins were born later that same year, so I was a very young dad."
He'd been a dad at eighteen? God, she couldn't imagine having that responsibility so young. Hell, she didn't want that responsibility now. She liked kids, but she liked them better when they went home to their own parents.
Another thought crossed her mind, and she wondered if she was going to have some crazy ex visiting them next.
"And their mom? Does she live in town?"
"She left when the twins were four, and died a year later."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Ryker. That must have been devastating."
"It surprisingly wasn't," he said, his voice hard. "Here come the twins."
Well, she definitely wanted to know more about his ex, but Ryker's tone gave her the impression the topic was closed, and she wasn't going to pry. At least not now. The topic seemed way too heavy for first date conversation, and though she felt a little self-conscious, she was enjoying the enthusiasm of his sons.
Two men practically raced toward them, crossing the restaurant with purpose, and when they arrived at the edge of their table, their smiles were huge. Unlike Luke, who was huge with brown hair and brown eyes, these two men actually looked like Ryker. They were shorter, with a smaller build, but there was no lack of muscles on either man. They were identical twins, with black hair and deep blue eyes that weren't as dark as their dad's, and if she did stay in Ryker's life, she hoped she would learn to somehow tell these two apart.
"Hi!"
They said the greeting nearly in unison, and she couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up. Had Ryker really not had a date in years? It certainly seemed that way with the way his sons were acting, but that couldn't be true. Could it?
"Hi."
"Carly, this is Noah and Rhys." She liked that he pointed to each man specifically as he said their names. "Boys, this is Carly. You've seen her, now leave. And don't tell your cousin about this."
"We already told her," Noah laughed, "but she's busy and can't come."
"Hey, Carly," Rhys said. "Can we take your picture?"
"No, you can't," Ryker growled. "Leave. Now."
"It was worth a try," Noah grinned. "It was nice to meet you, Carly."
"See you soon," Rhys added.
Both men walked out of the restaurant almost as quick as they entered, and Carly watched them leave with amusement.
"Well, that was... interesting," she laughed.
"Yeah, that's one way of putting it," Ryker smiled. "Do you have kids?"
She wanted to laugh at his segway, but she didn't fault him for wanting to know. More so because he'd already raised three sons, and probably didn't want any more children. Or maybe he did, and because his ex was dead, he was looking for someone to give him those babies.
"Uh, no," she shook her head, "and I don't want any either. I'm a teacher—I teach art at the elementary school—so I obviously like kids, but I also like to send them home to their parents at the end of the day. What about you? Do you want more children?"
The look he gave her made her laugh out loud.
"No. I love my boys, but I'm definitely done with having my own kids."
She nodded, happy he wasn't looking for something she wasn't, and a few minutes later she practically groaned when the pizza came.
"Oh, my god, this looks amazing."
While they ate, the conversation flowed between them easily, and after telling him a little bit about her job and her reasons for leaving the city, she stopped eating when she found him just staring at her.
Oh god! Had she eaten too much? Was he one of those men who expected their dates to only munch on part of a salad. She eyed the pizza, and while it was almost gone, she knew she'd only had two pieces plus a couple of breadsticks.
"What is it?" She asked. "Is there something on my face?"
"No, and nothing," he shrugged. "I'm enjoyingwatching you eat."
And that wasn't weird at all.
"That's... weird," she said, pushing her plate away.
"Yeah, maybe that came out wrong," he laughed, pushing her plate back. She had been done anyway, but his words made her feel self-conscious. "I just meant that watching you enjoy your food is sexy-as-hell. The few times I've actually shared a meal with a woman, they've barely eaten anything at all, and it's not enjoyable to dine with someone like that."
Well, when he said it like that, she couldn't be mad. She picked up another breadstick and dunked it in the dipping sauce, and she was thrilled when he did the same.
"So, did your sons really come to check me outbecause you haven't had a date in years?"
"Yes," he laughed. "And, not only that, I've never dated anyone in town, so they've literally never seen me with a woman before."
"Wow, that's...," She didn't actually know what to say to that. Why had he decided she would be the one? Was it because he was turning over a new leaf and she was the first in a soon-to-be line of conquests, or was it because he felt that same weird pull toward her that she felt toward him. She wasn't about to ask that question, so she just left her comment hanging.
"It's too much," he laughed, "especially for a first date. Sorry, but I'm not really good at this."
"It's all right," she smiled. "So, did I pass the test? Do they approve?"
"Oh, they definitely approve."
The way he practically growled the words sent a wave of heat racing straight to her core, and liquid heat dampened her panties. Rykers eyes flared, as if he could scent her arousal, and she once again wondered what it would be like to have him moving his thick cock in and out of her body.
This date had been a little weird, and there was a tiny place deep inside that wondered if Ryker was telling the truth about dating, but the way his sons had showed up seemed so innocent and wholesome, and she wanted to believe him. Was that stupid? Maybe, but she didn't think so. Not when her body felt drawn to him in a way she didn't understand.
Of course, it could all be because she hadn't been turned on by a man in a little over two years, but she didn't think it was that. She'd seen gorgeous men before—hell, his sons were gorgeous men, too—but she hadn't felt anything aside of appreciation for any of them.
Ryker was different, and she wasn't giving up on him yet.
A little while later, Carly stopped on the street after exiting the restaurant, and fastened her coat. Despite the flurries on her walk to pick up her car from the auto shop, the temperature had warmed up a couple of degrees when it was time to meet Ryker, and she'd left her coat undone so that he could see her cute outfit when she arrived. The look on his face had been worth it, but now that it was later, the air was crisp, and she was cursing the fact that she'd left her gloves at home.
She shoved her hands in her pockets and curled them into fists as Ryker narrowed his eyes. He'd mentioned her lack of hat in his shop earlier, and she had a feeling he was about to chastise her about forgetting again.
"Thank you for dinner," she smiled.
"Where are your hat and gloves?"
The words came out low and growly, and liquid heat dampened her panties.
"I was excited about our date and accidentallyleft them at home."
His eyes seemed to darken as he slowly inhaled, and once again, she got the feeling he could smell her arousal. Of course, she knew that wasn't possible, so maybe he was just fighting off the desire to kiss her or something. Disappointmentswamped her, because she really wanted him to kiss her, but she understood his reasons for holding back.
"Let's get you to your car before you freeze."
He placed his hand on the center of her back to steer her in the direction of the free lot, but then he let it drop once they were going in the right direction. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and noticed that even though he didn't touch her, he stood close enough that people would know they were together.
It was exciting and oddly comforting to have him by her side, and she once again admired his physique. She'd dated tall men before, but Ryker was a good seven inches taller than her, and she liked that she could wear her heeled boots around him without feeling like a giant.
He was dressed in black jeans and boots, similar but different from the ones he'd been wearing at work, and a dark gray sweater covered his chest. His head was covered in a grey beanie this time, and she desperately wanted to pull the knit cap off and see what he looked like without it. Not that she hated it or anything, because he rocked the look better than most of the men her age, but she wanted to know everything about him, and the beanie felt like a barrier between them.
She also noticed that he didn't have a coat or gloves, and that he didn't look cold at all.
"What about you?" she asked. "You didn't bring a coat or gloves?"
"I have a t-shirt on under my sweater, but I run really warm, and don't need anything more than that."
A blast of wind swirled around them as they turned into the lot, and while she felt the chill all the way to her bones, Ryker seemed to barely notice the cold.
He found her car easily, and walked her right up to the driver's side door. There were still plenty of cars in the lot, but because she was parked in the back, it felt like they had a little bit of privacy.
"Thanks again for dinner," she smiled. "I had a wonderful time."
"You don't ever have to thank me for feeding you." He growled the words, but before she could think about what that meant, he continued. "I want to kiss you now."
Though he didn't ask a question, she had a feeling he wanted her permission.
"Okay."
His hands encircled her hips, and she instinctively moved closer and placed her hands on his chest. Heat seemed to radiate off of him, seeping into her skin, and she desperately wanted to know what it would feel like to touch him with no barriers. His mouth descended on hers slowly, and when his lips finally touched hers, she felt it all the way to her core.
He must of have felt something, too, because he kissed her again, harder, and when she opened her mouth slightly, he shoved his tongue inside at the same time he pulled her flush against his body.
And… damn!
He was hot and hard everywhere. She could feel the heat of him from her chest to her knees, and even though they were separated by the layers of their clothes and her coat, she could feel his hard, thick shaft between them, pressing into her lower belly.
Ryker deepened the kiss, tightening his hands on her hips, and she met his tongue stroke for stroke.
She slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, weaving them in between the short strands sticking out from underneath the beanie. And that had been a mistake, because he immediately grabbed her forearms and took a step back. The sudden lack of heat radiating from his body, combined with the abrupt change in his demeanor caught her off guard,and she stared at him dumbly as the bittercold wrapped around her.
"Your hands are freezing, sweetheart," he said, wrapping his fingers around hers. "You have to get home and get out of this cold."
She knew he was right, but she didn't want to go. She wanted to kiss him some more, but she could tell by the look on his face that he wouldn't touch her again tonight. Sadness swamped her, but she did her best not to let it show.
"You're right," she forced a smile. "I am really cold."
"Are you free tomorrow night? If you want to come over, I can grill some steaks. And we can watch a movie or something. Whatever you want."
She really hoped that 'or something' meant that she would get to kiss him again, because right now, that's all she wanted.
"Yeah, that sounds great. Should I bring anything? Like something for dessert?"
After the pizza, they'd ordered a plate of Italian cookies to share, and while she was too full to eat more than one, she'd enjoyed watching him clean the entire plate after making sure she didn't want any more. Watching that man pick up the crumbs with his fingers had been sexy and endearing, and though it wasn't the same, she understood why he'd been watching her eat.
"I do like dessert."
He growled the words while staring at her mouth, and she felt her pussy contract, as if readying itself for his touch.
And she definitely wanted him to touch her there.
They exchanged phone numbers, and after texting her his address, he practically shoved her inside the SUV. Carly wanted to laugh at the way he basically manhandled her into the car, but she honestly thought it was sweet. As she drove away, she could still feel the warmth of Ryker's lips on her own, and she couldn't wait for their date on the following night.
Hopefully they would do much more than kissing.