Brink Of Passion (Alpine Woods Shifters) (3 page)

His mate.

She smelled faintly of honeysuckle. Sweet but with a hint of citrus, and so enticing he found himself leaning down for a deeper sniff before his brain could even comprehend what was happening. When she stiffened, he knew he’d overstepped common decency. Yet how could he resist? Her scent pulled him to her like a moth to a flame. She smelled like his every fantasy come alive.

And she looked it, too. With rich brown hair that curled past her shoulders, and dark brown eyes that tilted up slightly at the corners, she had a natural style that suited her tall, lithe frame and mile-long legs. Striking. Not cute or even beautiful, but somehow soft despite the sharp angle of her jaw and long nose. Her very presence exuded a strength that made the animal in him want to push her up against the wall and kiss her senseless. To take her hard and fast. Of course, the mating pheromones might have something to do with the impulse, since both mind and body seemed to be in overdrive at the moment.

He almost didn’t hear her incredulous exclamation, so absorbed in memorizing her every feature. But the sharp edge of sarcasm bled through his own shock. He probably should be upset, at least a little, that she sounded disappointed in him, but he felt a smile curl his lips completely beyond his control.

“Not kidding.” Max reached out and ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. Her eyes clouded with heat at his touch, causing his smile to deepen. She might not like it, but there wasn’t a doubt in his mind she felt the same soul-deep draw he did. “Definitely not kidding.”

“Max?” he heard his brother, Ryan, ask on his right. Without looking away from the woman in front of him, he handed his luggage to his brother.

“Get another room for yourself and put this in mine.”

Without question, his brother turned and headed back to the front desk. One of the many reasons he loved his family. They didn’t bother with pointless questions.

Max’s gaze was riveted on the woman, moving from the curve of her ear peeking through the fall of her hair to the pink of her lip. She fascinated him.

He recognized her. Had seen her become the center of attention in the lobby earlier. Although, truth be told, he’d been staring at her before that as well. She’d captured his attention the moment he’d crossed through the lobby doors. It had been difficult to tear his eyes away from her.

Even without knowing what she was to him, he’d been drawn to her. Before meeting her, he’d pegged her by her posture and the way she scanned the room with her eyes as a woman who seemed sharp, intuitive, and completely without artifice. She’d struck him as someone capable of taking care of herself. Interesting on multiple levels. Someone he wanted to meet. But he’d thought it was merely a physical attraction. Had never imagined she could be his.

Correction,
would
be his.

Her words, earlier and now, confirmed that she was lacking in the artifice department. But Max sometimes said things he later regretted. He’d been more amused by the exchange with the rhinos than anything, especially when she’d told the rhino shifter to get a Slinky if he wanted entertainment. He coughed to cover his chuckle at the memory. At the time, he’d barely been able to contain his laughter, and had noticed others around the room hiding their smiles.

She certainly wouldn’t be taking any shit from anyone. Just thinking about the reaction his leap would have when they met Laurie made him smile. Something told him they were in for a rude awakening. He couldn’t wait.

Her dark brown eyes wide, she continued to stare at him without saying anything, making his smile widen.

“I’m Max.”

No response. The same panicked expression stared back at him.

He raised one eyebrow. “This would be the part where you tell me your name,” he prompted.

“Laurie.” Her voice rolled over him, deep but still feminine. Husky. It brought to mind all sorts of dirty, depraved thoughts. That voice would be lethal in the bedroom. He couldn’t wait to find out just how lethal.

Covering her hands with his own, he trapped them against his chest where they’d been since she’d run into him. Her breath hitched when his skin slid against hers. Max stepped forward, invading her space. Heat flared in her gaze. Oh yeah, she was interested. He saw no ring on her finger—thank God—and no trace of another man in her scent, which meant not already mated. No ring and no mating was as good as free in his mind.

Around them, other shifters in the lobby eyed her with interest in their gazes. Not all shifters believed in “mate at first scent,” and he knew plenty who didn’t believe in “one fated mate” either. He growled at a jaguar from another leap who stared too long and with too much interest in his gaze. Yesterday, he probably would have counted himself in the one true mate disbeliever crowd, but Laurie was proof enough for him. Every cell in his body reacted to her. She was his and no one would take her from him.

“So, my room or yours?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to pull them back, but it was too late. Annoyance replaced the desire on her face.

He hadn’t meant to be so crude. And from the incident earlier, he knew this wasn’t a woman who responded to barbaric gestures.

“Wow. Ballsy much?” Yep, definitely displeased, if the tight line of her mouth was any indication. But on the plus side, she hadn’t slapped him and stalked away as he’d half expected her to. He was going to count that as a win, all things considered.

Reaching up, he smoothed his thumb over her left eyebrow where lines of annoyance had gathered, and watched the tension in her expression melt away, replaced by the same smoldering heat he felt rippling through his body. He heard a quick indrawn breath as her lips fell open.

Every instinct screamed with the need to lean down and seal her lips with his. To dip his tongue inside her mouth and pull her taste into him. Would she taste like her scent? Sweet and citrusy? Just imagining drove him wild.

Drawing on his last ounce of willpower, he reluctantly pulled away, denying himself the one thing he wanted most.

She was right. They should start with conversation, even though they both knew what was happening and where it would lead. The flash of discovery had been too intense for any doubt to remain. He wanted her as his. Saw the knowledge, the same desire, in her every time their eyes met. Mates. Recognition had been instant, much faster and stronger than he’d ever anticipated. Completely undeniable.

But mates or not, she deserved to be treated with respect, and his question, intentional or not, had been disrespectful. His mother had taught him better. He needed to show her there was more to him than carelessness. To show her she’d be treasured as his mate.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Drinks then?” Although he’d phrased it as a question, he had no intention of letting her refuse. Now that he’d found her, there was no way he’d let her go. He couldn’t. The beast inside him wouldn’t stand for it.

Taking her arm, he steered her toward the front of the hotel. Sure, he could have taken her to the hotel bar. It would have been faster, and more convenient. But the bar was no doubt packed full of shifters, and he wanted more privacy than that. He didn’t need a bunch of strangers, who would no doubt sense what was happening, staring and whispering while they were getting to know each other. Earlier, he’d seen a pub around the corner from the hotel that seemed promising. He pointed toward the hotel entrance as they walked and she nodded before moving ahead of him to maneuver through the crowd.

His fingers still tingled from touching her skin, and every nerve in his body thrummed with awareness. His gaze strayed downward to the swing of her hips as she walked, and he bit his lip to hold in a groan. No doubt the two of them together would burn up the sheets once he got her into his bed.

Soon. They both knew they’d end up there. Why deny themselves the pleasure?

She hesitated a moment, looking over her shoulder, as they walked out of the hotel, making him wonder if she were in fact with a man. If so, he admired her loyalty, even if it was no longer relevant. The poor shmuck would have to find someone else. He grabbed her hand, almost groaning at the pleasure merely touching her gave him, and led her down the street.

She had to feel the connection between them. The inexplicable pull toward each other. He’d never felt so certain of anything before in his life. Suddenly he understood the possessiveness other men displayed toward their mates. A part of him had always sneered at men who found their mates and ignored everything else. The ones who became so enamored that they professed undying devotion to someone they barely knew. He’d always thought those men weak-willed, or somehow kidding themselves. But now he knew differently.

No, he wasn’t in love with Laurie—he didn’t even know her—but he was completely and utterly captivated by everything about her. Love would grow. What they had between them was more intense and consuming than that.

As they walked down the street, more men stared at her, some shifters in town for the convention, but plenty of full humans as well. Annoyance grew at every eye he caught looking at her with interest. Laurie appeared either oblivious to the attention, or used to it. The thought of the latter irritated him further. Was she looked at so often that she’d become immune to it? Even women’s eyes were drawn to her.

When they got to the pub, Max pulled Laurie away from everyone else and into a secluded circular booth. Away from prying eyes. He scooted into the booth until they were seated together in the back.

Her scent drove him wild, and he couldn’t resist rubbing the tip of her hair between his fingers. Her eyes tracked his movements, her mouth opening as if she wanted to protest, but after a moment, she closed it. Pleasure filled him. Before the end of the night, Laurie would be his.

The smile vanished from his face as a waiter came to take their orders. The man’s eyes were riveted on
his mate
. A low growl rumbled in his throat.

Pure male satisfaction filled him when the waiter’s eyes widened in fear. He left so fast after taking their drink orders, Max was surprised he didn’t leave skid marks.

“Are you always this friendly, or do I bring out the best in you?” Sarcasm dripped from the words. He’d admit it, watching other men ogle his mate was awakening his beast.

“Doesn’t it bother you?” Because it sure as hell was bothering him.

“The growling? Nah, I have three brothers, so your ultra alpha-ness doesn’t scare me.”

Alpha-ness? Was that even a word?

“Not me. You. Doesn’t it bother you to have so many people making eyes at you?”

“Making eyes? What are you, eighty?” She laughed and the sound swept through him, punched through his frustration and brought a steady burn of lust in his gut. Low, with a hint of roughness that sent chills down his spine.

Desire burned in the back of his throat and pooled in his belly until thoughts of Laurie took over his entire being. With another growl, this time one of pure need, Max leaned forward and nipped the top of Laurie’s ear. Her laughter ceased, breath catching on a quickly indrawn gasp. Fingers dug into his thigh, right above his knee, until he released her ear, soothing it with a small lick before pulling back.

“I’m being serious.”

Her eyes stared at him in confusion, lust still clouding their depths. He’d be lying if he said the sight of her desire didn’t fill him with pride and no small amount of excitement for the night ahead.

After a minute, she shook her head. He could almost see her scattering droplets of bewilderment just as a dog shakes off water after a bath. The image broke through the tension from frustration and lust. He could be patient, because tonight would be the start of forever.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

She didn’t know. He could see it in her face. She wasn’t trying to be cute, or pretend innocence. She really didn’t see the way everyone stared at her. Somehow, that only made her more attractive.

Unable to resist, he tangled his fingers with hers and leaned his other arm along the back of the booth so that he could play with her hair. Then he began to get to know her in earnest.

Chapter 2

Laurie wasn’t sure exactly how it happened. One minute they were sitting in the booth, enjoying a bottle of wine while discussing their favorite hockey teams—or rather arguing over their favorite hockey teams—and the next thing she knew, she was practically
in
his lap, his tongue thrust deep into her mouth.

His hand slid under her shirt, blazing a trail along the bare skin of her back. The heat of his caress set her skin aflame, making her curse the clothes between them.

She’d intended to take things slowly, but the fire burning inside her demanded satisfaction. She hadn’t felt this hot in years. The hand not currently trailing up her spine clutched her hip in a bruising grip. Scratch years, she’d
never
in her entire life felt this blistering hunger.

The wine must be affecting her. Or maybe it was him. His scent, fresh sage and pure male, intoxicated her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t assemble a coherent thought. She gasped as his mouth left hers to trail a scorching path down her neck. She felt as if she’d burn to ashes if he stopped touching her. Kissing her. She was desperate for more.

And why not? They were both adults. Sleeping together wasn’t a crime, and wouldn’t mean she deserved less respect. They could quench this fire now, and continue getting to know each other after. Her mind might not be ready to mate him, but her body was sure as hell ready for something more than conversation.

“Hotel,” she managed between gasps. But she groaned when he pulled away, her body so desperate for his touch, it was almost painful to lose contact.

Max threw down money for their drinks before pulling her out of the booth. Thank God he was leading, because the journey back to the hotel blurred in her mind. All her focus was on the feel of her hand in his. His thumb rubbed up and down the side of hers, prickling her nerve endings and sending sparks of desire shooting up her arm with every caress.