Chapter Two
Juni slid onto a bar stool, heart pounding like she was getting ready to do something naughty. She and Clover had just moved into their little house, and now that her sister had stability, tonight was the night she would start living.
The Unicorn had a warmth to it that invited people in. The dim interior offered many nooks and crannies for couples to hide in, and when she found a lover perhaps she’d be just like them. Then a scent caught her attention. Something ... sweet, with a touch of spice thrown in.
“Are you old enough to be sitting there?”
Juni looked up into eyes so pale they looked almost silver. “I’m twenty-three.”
The man was beautiful. Light blond hair, muscles that strained against his shirt.
The scent, she realized, came from him. It didn’t take a genius to realize what it meant.
This man was her mate. She felt the pulse down into her soul, but along with that shocking revelation was the knowledge he wasn’t a wolf.
In fact, she couldn’t smell any type of shifter hormone on him at all. Her mate, apparently, was a human.
“In that case, what’s your poison?”
“I don’t know,” she replied. “I’ve never had a drink before.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Well, we need to fix that right away. Usually, I can tell what a person’s favorite drink of choice is. I’ve never worked with a blank canvas.” He tilted his head to study her. “You like chocolate?”
“Who doesn’t?”
“Then I’ve got the perfect drink.”
In a silver shaker, he mixed together a few ingredients. Closed it and shook it a few times then poured the dark liquid into a stemmed glass that had a wide, shallow bowl that formed into an inverted cone. He placed the drink in front of her.
“This is a chocolatini,” he said. “Best if it’s sipped and not guzzled.”
Following his advice, she took a sip. Her eyes widened. “Oh, my gosh, this is amazing.”
He smiled. “Isn’t it?”
When he walked away to help a few other patrons, she couldn’t help but watch and her gaze fell to his ass.
She certainly didn’t want a mate, but maybe he wouldn’t mind helping her other little problem.
Her V-card. The first time was going to suck, she knew that, but he seemed older so maybe he would know what to do to make it not suck so much.
Contemplating how to ask him, she continued drinking. The more she sipped, the more she liked it, and it didn’t take long for her to finish. When the glass was empty, she wondered if it would look silly to lick the glass.
“You’re done.”
She glanced up and everything seemed to swim. It was a warm sensation. “What’s your name?”
“Asher.”
She held out her hand. “I’m Juniper.”
It took him a moment to reach out, but the moment their skin touched a jolt of adrenaline shot through her.
His nostrils flared and she thought he was sniffing her out.
Did humans do that? She thought that was only a shifter thing to do.
Maybe he could smell her new laundry detergent.
Now that she was free to make her own choices, she chose the good-smelling expensive stuff.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Juniper.”
She held up the glass. “Can I have another?”
He tilted his head. “If you drink another one you might have a hangover in the morning.”
“They’re bad, right?”
“Pretty much.”
“I start work tomorrow. I better not risk it.”
“If you really want to experience a hangover then come back when you don’t have to get up early the next day.” He opened his arms. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Okay,” she said, smiling. “But ... do you happen to have a cigarette?”
One eyebrow went up. “You smoke?”
“No, but how do I know if I like it or not unless I try one?”
“That is a very good point.” He held up a finger. “Stay right there.”
Juni watched as he walked to the end of the bar to talk to another patron, who handed over a cigarette and lighter. Then he gestured for someone to come behind the bar. Once his employee replaced him, he walked over to her.
“We have to step outside,” he said. “Smoking isn’t allowed inside the bar.”
He headed to the door and she followed. People greeted him as he went by, and she could see everyone liked him. That boded well for him being a nice lover.
Once outside, he stepped to the side of the building then held out the cigarette and lighter. Juni took them and looked at him expectantly.
“You’re going to put the butt-end of the cigarette between your lips, hold the flame up to the tip and inhale because that will light it up.”
Juni did that but couldn’t get the lighter to work. Again, she looked up at him, waiting.
“The roller thing there, roll that and ... yep, that’s how you do it.”
Once she had that conquered, she did exactly as he instructed, but as soon as the smoke hit her lungs she started coughing. The taste was horrendous. She held both items out for him. To his credit, he didn’t do a told you so.
“I definitely don’t like this,” she said in between coughs. “People actually like smoking?”
“The nicotine is addicting.”
“Yuck,” she muttered. “Well, that’s scratched off my to-do list.”
Asher stuck both items in his pocket. “What’s this about a list?”
“Stuff I want to experience.” She cocked her head. “Do you know what happened to the man who was technically my father?”
“Technically, no. Should I say condolences?”
There was no humor in that, but she still gave a ghost of a smile. “Absolutely not. He died. Some disease. Doesn’t matter. Anyway, I swore that I was going to do all the things he never let me do.”
“Ah,” Asher said. Understanding dawned on his face. “The drink. The smoke.”
“Yep, but now cigarettes are permanently off my list.”
“Good.” He grinned. “Nasty habit. Kissing someone with smoking breath is gross.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s on my list.”
“Kissing someone with smoking breath?”
“No, just kissing. And sex. That’s on my list.” Once again, she studied his features and knew he’d be perfect. “Would you like to volunteer?”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I... What? Are you propositioning me, Juniper?”
Did he seem interested? Or not interested?
“Yes?” she answered with a question.
He cocked his head as he studied her. A little grin lifting one corner of his mouth. “You want to kiss me?”
“Y-yes.”
“Have sex with me?”
Her heart thumped erratically. Why am I sweating? “Yes.”
Contemplation swirled in the cool depths of his eyes.
“Okay,” he finally replied. “With concessions.”
“Which are?”
“Exclusivity.”
That rang with something she didn’t want. “I’m not looking for long term.”
“Good. Neither am I. Exclusive while this lasts.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of a one-night kind of thing.”
One eyebrow rose. “Nothing else?”
She shook her head.
“Okay, that’s different. Then this stays between us. No one needs to know our business.”
Oh, she thought. A sinking feeling settled in her stomach. He’s embarrassed of me. “You know what? Never mind.”
He frowned. “What?”
She yanked out a wrinkled, folded twenty-dollar bill from her pocket and thrust it at him. He instinctively grabbed it.
“Juniper—”
“Listen, I have enough shit going through my head, that I don’t need to know I’m a God-damn secret.
I agree that no one needs to know our business, but I refuse to live in the shadows I just crawled out from.
” Her heart pounded, but not in a good way.
“One night doesn’t mean treating me like a pariah.
I’m sorry to have wasted your time, Asher. Thank you for the chocolatini.”
Without anything else to say, she turned and marched off. Anger swam through her blood. Next time she approached a man for sex, she would make sure he didn’t mind sharing the same air.