Chapter 20 #2
Because Mrs. Porter had been my sixth-grade math teacher, my siblings’ as well. She knew everything about our family because her husband had once sparred with my dad over land that butted up to theirs.
Did I think she would run off and tell the media I was pretending to be married, locked in one of her family’s treasured spaces with the most gorgeous girl on the planet?
Maybe not, although with the way the press had hounded us at the theater, I had no clue what to expect once we returned to civilization.
But for now, we were sequestered together, enjoying each other’s company. The rest of the world could leave us the fuck alone for a couple of days. This was about hot sex, good food, a lot of alcohol, and more hot sex.
And one other thing.
Mating.
Or rather trying to explain to her what had happened that had honestly felt completely out of my control.
In fucking her, I hadn’t intended on succumbing to needs furrowed deep in my wolf’s DNA.
Mating had just occurred. From excitement?
Yeah, maybe, but damn it, I hadn’t been prepared for the overwhelming desire turning to need then turning to something that had no words.
Shifters had two discussions about sex as kids with their parents.
One a typical birds and bees conversation, followed by sex education in school.
The much more complicated drop of information was always handled by shifter parents.
The issues surrounding mating certainly were nothing like a hundred years before. Shifters were much more human than anything else and not all wolves were lucky enough to find true mates. Both my brothers had, which I’d thought meant the odds I would were akin to winning a billion-dollar lottery.
Then again, I did remember my father telling his kids we were of a pure bloodline, which meant mating was often required for reasons of sanity and procreation of the race. Now that I knew my mother was completely human, gone was the idea that mating was only possible between like breeds.
That didn’t mean the entire situation wasn’t confusing.
Especially since I’d been caught off guard.
Or had I? Had my father over the phone been able to predict I’d found my mate when I’d obviously turned off several of my senses?
Clementine’s scent should have been the key factor, giving it away immediately.
Her fragrance boiled me over every time, sweet jasmine with hints of vanilla, a dash of cinnamon and spices, but I hadn’t turned all primal on her. Well, maybe a little.
So I failed the scent test. What about when we’d touched? Yes, the lightest brush had been electrifying. However, I hadn’t locked her in a room like some he-man. Okay, I had thought about it a couple of times.
Then there’d been the hot sex we’d shared before. I hadn’t expected to knot her.
In the situation popping up so unexpectedly, I hadn’t been allowed a chance to warn her.
I closed my eyes and brought the whiskey to my lips.
After the last few days, I’d known a beer wouldn’t cut it.
Now that I had some serious explaining to do, I was at a complete loss for what to say that wouldn’t drive her away.
Since sitting in front of the fire with my arm wrapped around her, I’d been practicing, trying out a few scenarios.
Hey, Clementine. You know how in Die Hard, Roy went to extreme lengths to save his woman? Well, that’s what wolves do with their mates.
Yeah, that would go over well. Not.
Hey, Chelsea. I know we don’t know each other at all, but I have something to tell you that’s going to rock your world. We’re mates? Turning all furry? No, I don’t think that’s possible with humans.
Oh, you bet she’d flee in my truck after bashing me on the head.
“Why don’t you just say it?” Her voice was soft, melodic, and as I’d experienced before, gave me a full-blown hard-on.
“Say what?” She was leaning up against me and I hadn’t realized it until now since I’d been caught up in my own mating nightmare, she’d been scrolling her phone.
“And what are you doing? Rules. No phones. No outside contact for forty-eight full hours.” When I tried to snatch her phone away, she had the nerve to elbow me.
She even managed to scoot away before I could stop her.
“You didn’t mention a word about rules.”
“Now I am.” I took another gulp of my drink. For the first time in my life, I needed liquid courage.
She twisted to face me, folding her legs under her. Before the screen faded on her phone, I noticed what she’d been looking at. A page on shifters. “Why don’t you just come out and tell me we’re mates.”
If my reflexes weren’t quick, the shot of whiskey I’d consumed would be all over her face. “You just read that? There are lots of crazy stories out there.”
“Yes, there are, including about shifters having two cocks.” As soon as she allowed her gaze to fall ever so playfully to my dick, my wolf jabbed a claw into my side.
The hunger was already building once again.
“I read a couple scientific reports and white papers, including one by your sister-in-law, Georgia. She is quite knowledgeable in the field of shifters and obviously from a very personal lesson or two.”
Even the look on her face was sly. “You didn’t say anything.”
“What was I supposed to say to you? I felt our electric connection, but until tonight, I was clueless as to the power of our passion. Maybe I still am. What I do know is how I feel.” She placed her phone to the side before running the tips of her fingers down my chest.
“Which is?” My cock was already throbbing.
“That I like you. That’s more important than the crazy hunger I feel. You’re nothing like I thought you’d be.”
When I reached for her, she wagged her finger. “But?” I dared ask.
“But we still don’t know each other. That’s very important to me. I mean it’s a little crazy to think we’re mated for life. Do you even know what that means?”
Her question was one I’d never needed to think about. “It means anything we want it to mean.”
There was a sense of relief on her face. “Then why don’t we keep the full conversation about mating for another time.”
Now I was the one feeling a full moment of utter relief and it obviously showed on my face. I could tell by her lilting laughter. “Don’t worry, Rebel boy Roy. I don’t think anyone is going to believe we’re Mr. and Mrs. Smith.”
“You never know.” I wrapped my fingers around hers, pulling them to my lips.
While I initially wanted nothing more than to roll the tips across the seam of my mouth, as usual my wolf had to stick his ugly head into the mix.
He craved sucking on her fingers so that’s exactly what he did.
Me? I’d planned on being a perfect gentleman.
At least for the time being. It would seem all bets were off.