All Kitten Aside: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Paranormal Dating Agency Book 11) (5 page)

NINE

Andi marched into her house with an angry lioness hissing and snarling inside her. Staying there and wasting her time on the wolf was useless. She had shit to do and that wasn’t helping.

“Oh, no. What happened?” Naya asked as she walked into the kitchen. “You look like shit.”

“Gee, thanks,” she growled and stripped out of the wet clothes.

“No, what I mean is…okay, fuck what I mean. What happened?” Naya stopped stirring the pot of stew and turned to her, eyes wide with surprise.

“Josh and three of his friends.”

Naya’s features went dark with anger. “Are you kidding me? That asshole did not really do that to you.”

“Oh, he did. And his friends were ready to take Cat for themselves while the ass ‘claimed’ me against my will.”

Naya’s eyes went even wider than before. “What the hell?”

“Let me take a shower and I’ll be right back. I promise I’ll tell you all about it. I need to get into dry clothes and feel half human again.”

“Go, dinner is almost done. We can eat and talk when you come back.”

She ran up to her bedroom, slammed the door shut, and glanced down at her scratched up hands. They didn’t even hurt. During fights, scratches and bites were normal in the pride. Usually she didn’t have to fight men, but there were times even they needed to be reminded who was in charge.

She opened the shower to warm water and jumped in. The pulsing drops helped ease some of the soreness from her muscles and relax her. Her mind went back to the wolf.
Mine.

Oh, no no no no no, girl
. He is not yours.
Yes, he is.

She debated with the animal until she realized how stupid it was. It wasn’t like the wolf was going to come knocking at her door asking her out. After her shower, she put on a pair of sweats and a tank top. The only person to see her at this point was Naya and she was her best friend. She sent a text message to her guards to find Josh and his friends. Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with them.

Laughter reached her as she descended the stairs. She frowned. Someone had shown up when she’d been in the shower. She marched into the kitchen, ready to tell whoever it was she wasn’t in the mood for visitors but stopped short when she saw him.

“And here she is,” Naya grinned. “This is the lovely Miranda.”

She didn’t need him to turn to know who it was. The golden brightness in his eyes told her how much his wolf was at the surface. Join the crowd, buddy. Her lioness had taken that moment to try and push her way out.

“Ms. Colilla,” he said with that rasp that turned her legs to jelly. “It’s nice to formally meet you.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked point blank.

“Andi!” Naya gasped. “Stop being so rude. This is Mr. Kasen Steel. He was sent here by Gerri Wilder.”

Andi’s stomach did a flip and for a second she thought she might pass out, something she’d never done in her life. What the fuck was going on? “What do you mean?”

“He’s your, um…match.” Naya blinked at Andi, saying all the things with her eyes that she couldn’t with her mouth. Like how damn hot he was and how lucky Andi was to be matched up with him.

“There has to be a mistake.” For fuck’s sakes this had to be a joke. Mrs. Wilder didn’t give her the impression she liked messing with people, but what did Andi know? There could be a first time for everything.

“I assure you, princess, there’s no mistake.” Kasen grinned wider than he had before. A dimple showed on his right cheek and she became angry with her cat when the bitch told her to lick the small indentation.

“You can’t possibly want to be matched up with me,” she growled. “This has to be a joke. And not a funny one at that.”

“Listen, Andi,” Naya gave her a pointed look and motioned for her to sit her ass at the dinner table. “Why don’t you sit down, have some food, and talk to Kasen here.”

Andi cursed under her breath but sat to dinner. Hunger was probably part of her bitchiness, the other part was the unwanted attraction to the wolf.

“Thank you for inviting me to dinner, Naya,” Kasen said with a sly grin.

Asshole. He clearly knew how to work his charm.

Naya placed a green enamel cast iron pot of stew on the table along with a basket of rolls and a smaller pot of rice. “All right, you guys. Dig in.”

Andi filled her bowl with stew and rice and grabbed a roll, too. If she was going to die by carbs then let her at least enjoy them.

“So, Mr. Steel, you’re a wolf,” Naya grinned. “I would not have expected that type of match for my Andi.”

Kasen broke off a piece of bread and chewed it slowly, as if thinking of his words. “I was told Gerri is very unconventional in her matchmaking.”

Andi snorted. “I’ll say. She got us all wrong.”

“Andi!” Naya sighed. She turned back to him. “Are you okay with a lioness as a mate?”

Andi glanced up at him, wanting to know the answer to that question, too. Not that she cared. Nope. She couldn’t care because once she went to see Gerri in the morning, she’d explain she needed to find someone else. Kasen Steel might be gorgeous, strong, and alpha, but he was also incredibly arrogant. Andi would kill him within a week if they were a couple.

He’s already mine
. No, he was not, and her lioness needed to get her shit together.

There was a moment of silence and Kasen didn’t take his eyes off her. The look of pure lust he gave her wasn’t one she was used to. Sure, as a Prima, men wanted her for her position. When she went into heat it called the males in her pride to mate. That shit got annoying fast. Human males were a lot tamer. They didn’t get turned on by a woman’s pheromones like shifters did.

“I would be perfectly happy with any female shifter as a mate as long as she were the right one for me.”

Great answer. It also told her nothing. Naya didn’t think the same as Andi by the wide smile on her face.

“That’s such a smart way to look at this, Mr. Steel.”

He picked up his iced tea and winked at Naya. “Please, call me Kasen.”

Andi’s lioness snarled and she had a hell of a time containing the sound in her throat. “So, if you hired Gerri to find you a mate,” Andi began then after thinking about it for a moment, said, “Why do you need a mate?”

He ate a bite of his food before answering, which meant she got to watch his jaw work. She got to stare at his lips and the fuzzy beard she wanted so badly to rub her face on.

“It’s time. I want a family.”

She made a face. “That’s it? You want a family?” She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure there are plenty of women in your pack ready, willing, and able to bear your babies. So why hire a service?”

He licked his lips. Good god, that should be all kinds of illegal. “I don’t want just any woman. I want someone special.”

“Like
with an extra toe
special?” she joked. Her blood heated every time he stared at her, and between his looks and the heat of the food, she could use a second shower to cool down.

Naya giggled and shook her head as she ate.

“I wouldn’t turn a woman away for extra anything,” he winked at her. “Especially curves.”

Oh, he was good. Like, really good. Andi wasn’t a stick figure and she was sure not as curvy as her mother had been due to the amount of training she did, but she wasn’t as slim as a lot of the lionesses in her pride.

“Mr. Steel,” she started.

“Please, call me Kasen.”

Dammit. She didn’t want to, but fine. “Kasen, as you can see, I’m a very involved Prima. I lead my pride and I’m active in every important decision that takes place. If it impacts anyone’s life, I will make damn sure that they know they have choices. I have zero tolerance for drama. None.” She picked up her drink and swallowed to cool herself down. “You seem to be on top of your pack, as well. Clearly, Mrs. Wilder made a mistake in matching us together.”

“Maybe,” he shrugged his big shoulders in that too tight T-shirt she’d given him. His arms alone made her want to ask him to hug her. “Maybe not.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you ever take chances, Miranda?”

“Andi,” she said before she realized she’d given him permission to use the name her friends and family called her.

“Andi. Miranda is still a beautiful name.” He smiled at Naya when she passed him another roll. Oh, brother. Her friend was a goner. The look of teen adoration in Naya’s eyes was getting on her last nerve.

“Well?” she prompted him, trying to figure out what the hell he meant.

“I think you shouldn’t be so quick to judge that this is a bad match.”

“Oh, come on,” she laughed. “You can’t be serious. We’re polar opposites.”

He raised a brow and an evil brightness lit in his eyes. “Opposites attract.”

TEN

Dammit. They sure as fucking hell did. She wanted him naked so badly, she had to stop herself from offering to dry his probably damp clothes just so she could get another glimpse at his body.

Buzzing started and both their gazes turned to Naya. She was already pulling out her cell phone. “Sorry, you two, I have to go.” Andi shook her head. No way was she staying alone with him. Naya gave her a sympathetic smile. “Have fun.”

She stood to go and Andi wanted to run after her. She really needed to grow a pair again if this wolf made her this nervous. Instead of running in the other direction, she calmly glanced at Kasen. Great. Let the battle against her self-control begin.

“So, want to tell me the rest of the reason why you need a mate?” she asked as she filled a spoon with food.

“Why don’t you start.”

“Hey, wolf-man, I asked first.”

He chuckled at the name. “Fine. I’ve had some pressure. My mother means well, but she wants me mated ASAP. Women are constantly being thrown at me.”

She snickered. “Oh, poor you. Too many chicks to choose from. Whatever will you do?”

He frowned. “What I did was hire a service where I can control the fact nobody in my pack will be matched with me.”

She giggled. “Damn straight. They matched your ass up with a cat. Bet you weren’t expecting that one, were you now?”

He cocked his head to the side. “No, I wasn’t. I can’t say I’m not pleased with the outcome, though.”

She got up from the table, her nerves were too strained to sit, making idle chit chat. She’d even lost her appetite. He was too handsome and her lioness was about to go into heat. The only thing she wanted was to ride him all night long.

Andi didn’t really know what to think. Her lioness wanted him, hell, even her body wanted him, but he was all wrong for the type of mate she needed. She didn’t need cocky and arrogant. What she needed was a man ready, willing, and able to stay in his place and let her be in charge. She highly doubted Kasen Steel, alpha to god knew how many wolves, would be happy to sit on the sidelines while his mate told everyone what to do.

“Look,” she cleared the table and watched him stand, “I don’t think this is going to work out.” Her throat felt like sandpaper. She swallowed at the dryness and leaned against the kitchen island. “You and I both know we’re too alpha for each other.”

He took measured steps toward her. There went that glint of his animal in his eyes. A soft growl sounded from him and she knew he was having a hard time hanging on to his humanity.
The beast wants you
. Why the hell did that turn her on?

He continued coming closer, until he was only inches away and up in her personal space. She wouldn’t allow anyone this close unless she felt comfortable around them. Not him. She didn’t know him but her lioness had full trust in him. Wrong move.

“Why not try it out and see?” He said the words slowly and raised a hand to her jaw. His intent was clear, but he didn’t move his hand or his head any lower. He waited for her to make the next move. To show this was something she wanted. Did she want it? He was wrong, so very wrong for her as a mate, but for tonight? For a few hours? He could be the right one.

She grabbed clumps of his shirt and rose to her tip toes, pressed her lips to his and let her lioness loose. The kiss was rough, hot, and fast. He slipped his tongue into her mouth at the same time she yanked on his shirt to get it off. Smooth skin met her palms as he drove in and out of her mouth. Fuck, that felt good! She pressed into his erection poking at her belly through their clothes. Her pussy went slick with need.

He pulled back from their kiss. His features were feral, full of hunger and passion. Moisture gathered between her thighs and dripped to her pants. She hadn’t bothered to put underwear on and now she was glad for it.

“Miranda.” His gravelly rumble made her nipples ache. Her lungs fought for air. He whimpered. Oh fuck! Her heat was coming on strong. So strong. Every hormone in her body craved him. Needed him. Like he was her first and last breath.

“Kasen, I…” Her throat went dry.

“Shhh, beautiful. Let me see you.” He pulled her top over her head and her sweats off in the blink of an eye. To her joy, he got rid of his own clothes, too. Fuck, he was gorgeous, not body building bulky. He was strong and muscular, with a body that made her want to get on her knees and worship him. And Andi never wanted to get on her knees for anyone. Ever.

He pressed into her and met her gaze. God, that felt so good. His body flush on hers. His cock hard and ready to fill her. The rim of gold in his eyes grew. The wolf was hungry for more. So was her lioness. His eyes burned with ownership, enough to make the hairs on her arms stand on end. He focused on her mouth. She swiped her tongue over her dry lips and his eyes glowed, the specks of amber turning brighter by the second.

He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her onto the counter. Legs spread, she felt him take his place between her large thighs and cup her breasts. He thumbed at her nipples, his rough fingers felt amazing on her skin. She sniffed at his neck and flicked her tongue over his throat. He tasted of wilderness, raw animal lust like the woods and trees and the river. All of her favorite things.

“Fuck, baby. You smell like cotton candy.” He licked down her neck, sucked one nipple into his mouth, nipped hard enough to make her moan and moved on to the other. Then he did the same again. Her belly clenched with each lick and suck on her chest. He continued his trip south, giving soft growls and inhaling hard at her flesh.

She thought she might go crazy once he got close enough to her pussy that she felt his hot breath on her clit.

“Mine.” He growled into her pussy lips. The vibration was enough to send shards of pleasure up her spine.

“Oh god,” she moaned and rocked her hips over his lips. He licked a slow trail around her entrance and up to her clit. Each swipe turned her blood into a pool of fire. He licked at her honey as if it were the tastiest dessert in the world. She clung to his short hair, watching his head while he imparted pleasure between her thighs. Fuck, this guy was so damn good with his mouth! He slipped his tongue into her slick channel and fucked her with quick, merciless swipes.

Need wound into a tight ball inside her. He growled. She knew she’d fall off the edge at any moment. He sucked on her swollen clit, hard. A scream lodged in her throat. Pleasure careened through her in a tidal wave of shudders. She gasped, trying to catch her breath. He stood, his naked body making her moan. He was gorgeous. From the spiky hair down to his powerful legs. The wolf was perfect.

She slid off the counter and pushed him back on a chair. With unsteady legs, she straddled him and sat, biting her lip and meeting his gaze as she pressed down on the head of his cock, his shaft filling her sex. “I need you.”

“I’ve got you, baby.” He pressed her down, grinding her over his cock. Her breath left her lungs in a rush. She moaned, dug her nails into his shoulders and rocked on his cock. “That’s it, beautiful. Take my dick and suck him deep.”