Hook, Line, and Mated (4 page)

Chapter Seven

Easton stared at the pictures on the wall, recognizing Jessie when she was younger right away, and he felt like an even bigger ass for showing up. He scented the death that lingered in the air, his mate’s sadness, and her pain. She was hurting, and he could assume by the scent and taking in the disarray of the house, the boxes by the door, that someone close to her had died. He’d never push her, never question what was wrong, even if he had a feeling he already knew. She would tell him when she was ready, and until then he’d just be here for support. This mating was new to him, too, and he was just trying to figure out how to go about it. Pushing her was not what he wanted to do, and it was clear he’d have to learn to be understanding with her and how she felt.

Easton turned around and faced her. Jessie was pressed against the door, staring at him, watching him, and trying to hide her emotions. But he could pick them up as easily as if they were written along the walls. Even if he hadn’t gotten her address from Maverick, if he’d somehow managed to scent her out, Easton would have known right away this was her place. The scent of her surrounded it, filled his head, and had every animal instinct in him rising up to protect it … her, at all costs.

And then he’d felt her watching him, sensed her gaze on him as he stood there. It had made him feel good, in a way. Having a mate was something that changed a shifter’s life, and his was certainly being turned upside down. For several days he’d stayed away, forcing himself to give her time to fully realize what he was to her, what they were to each other. He’d taken Jason’s advice, giving her space, and knew that was the best course of action. But fucking hell was it hard.

Even after he’d gotten her address he’d waited a day, just stared at the email that Maverick had sent him with her name, address, and phone number. Declan and Maverick had been willing to give him all of her personal information, but he’d declined. When he learned about her it would be because she’d shared that with him, not because he’d dug deep into her life. Getting her address, name, and number had felt wrong as it was.

Easton had never been known to give anyone space, and he sure as hell wasn’t known for his reputation for being empathetic. But this concerned his mate, and that meant everything was different. He was different.

He knew if he pushed his mate too hard she would never be able to trust him or give herself over to him. The need to care for her, protect her, and please her above all else rode him hard the moment he had first seen her, but he was an isolated asshole by nature, a very dominant male, and taking a step back to look at it from her point of view was a lot harder than he ever thought.

So here he was, standing in front of her, trying to be a good mate in a very uncertain situation. Neither spoke, but there didn’t need to be any words said, because the electricity and pull that had been between them was strong, stronger than ever. It was like in that very short time being apart from her had made him want her more,
crave
her more.

Easton lowered his gaze and stared at her feet. Her toenails were painted red, and her feet femininely arched, small, delicate even. She had curves, lushness, roundness to her, and next to him so was so damn fragile. He continued to let his gaze travel up her calves, and stopped at her nice thick thighs.

Fuck.

All he could think about was those plump thighs wrapped around his waist, tightening around him as he claimed her, thrust into her. She was a mess with dirt and dust on her cheeks, in her hair. He made a low sound in his throat, not able to control it.

He inhaled deeply, could smell the arousal coming from his little cat. Yeah, his mate wanted him, but was fighting him every step of the way. Continuing to let himself enjoy the view, he was surprised she hadn’t either kneed him in the dick or demanded he leave. He was being crude right now by checking her out, knowing he should show more respect, but unable to stop the need pounding inside of him.

Easton continued to lift his gaze, not able to show some class or respect, not when his animal was taking over. He stopped when he got to her breasts, and his cock grew harder at the sight of her nipples protruding through the material. Goddamn, his mate wasn’t wearing a bra, clearly. He needed to tear his gaze away from all that plump goodness because he was two seconds away from tackling her to the floor, ripping that too big and dirty shirt from her body, tearing away her shorts and panties, and claiming her right here. Easton had never been a male that had those kinds of primal, intense needs, but the longer he went without claiming his mate, the more it became unbearable.

He could hear the harsh breathing that came from her, knew this situation was affecting her the same as him. But neither spoke, neither moved.

“Exactly why are you here?” she asked finally, her voice strained, tight. Jessie was nervous and aroused, and it caused a tingling sensation in his nose and a tightening in his balls.

Clearing his throat, he tried to think of a good reason on why he’d looked up her address and shown up out of the blue. But she had to know why he was here, that finding his mate meant he couldn’t stay away.

“You know why,” was all he said, because it was all he could say. He trailed his gaze up and down her body once more, the urge to adjust his shaft strong, noticeable. His moose wanted her to feel completely off balance and bared for him, the same as he felt for her.

Take your time with her. Don’t rush her or you’ll lose your mate.

“So, you’re here,” she said and then swallowed. “How did you get my address?” Despite her question, he could tell by the tone of her voice she wasn’t upset by it. Good, because that’s not what he’d been going for. He didn’t want Jessie upset with him.

“I know some males that can find out information.” Christ, she was all curves and soft, rounded flesh. He inhaled deeply, and couldn’t help but close his eyes and let a low, harsh sound leave him, one of satisfaction and of ownership, even if he hadn’t claimed her yet. “It was wrong to look you up, but I didn’t have any other way, unless I scoured the town for you.”

She didn’t respond, but he could hear her heart beating faster.

“You’re my mate, and even if I’ll give you space, time, I couldn’t let you walk away. You have to understand that.”

She looked down at her bare feet for a moment, and when she lifted her gaze he saw that she accepted this. “I know.”

He smiled down at her, wanting to touch her, but clenching his hands at his sides instead.

“In all honesty I probably would have looked you up, tried to find out who you were after I had everything situated in my life.”

He nodded, not speaking and just letting her have this time.

She may not fully realize, or maybe she did and was fighting it like he had in the beginning, but Jessie was his completely. As much as Easton wanted to stand right beside her, feel her heat, take her scent into his lungs, and press himself against her fully, he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, didn’t want to seem like he couldn’t even control himself. He would push her, but only as much as she was willing to give, and only when she was fully in this with him.

Scrubbing a hand over his mouth, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, couldn’t ignore the heat that washed through him and his animal that yes, he was really right in front of his mate.

“I want to be here for you, Jessie, and it can be as slow or as fast as you like.” He saw the way her throat worked as she swallowed, and as hard as it was for him to give up any control, especially in matters that concerned his mate, he’d do anything for her. “You have the control.”

Easton took a step closer to her, which had her moving back until the door stopped her from retreating from him anymore. “Spend the day with me. Let me take you out, show you I can be a good, understanding mate.” He stared into her eyes. “I can show you that being with me, letting me claim you, wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.” He smiled, hoping to ease her tension.

She held his gaze. For several long seconds neither said anything else, but then she inhaled deeply and licked her lips.

“You’re giving me control, letting me lead the way?”

Only this time, mate, and only until you’re ready for me to be the male you need in your life.

He nodded, but the alpha in him had a hard fucking time relinquishing any power.

It’s for my female.

“I’m not sure I can ever be a good mate, Easton,” she whispered.

He couldn’t keep his eyes from closing at the sound of her saying his name. He didn’t know what she meant by that statement, but he was a patient male. Fate had put them together as mates, and even if for whatever fucked up reason she thought she couldn’t be what he needed, he would just have to show her how much she was wrong.
He
needed her in his life.

“How can you say that without giving this a shot?”

She shook her head but didn’t respond.

“How can you even think that without giving
us
a chance?” He stared into her blue eyes but didn’t give her a chance to answer that question. Easton could see she understood him well enough. “I can’t just leave you, Jessie. I won’t, but I can take my time, as much time as you need, in fact.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a male like you.” She smiled softly, and that one act had his fucking heart slamming hard against his ribs.

“Can we take one day at a time? Can we start out with me just taking you to lunch?”

Her blue eyes were so big, so expressive, that he didn’t think she realized how easily he could read her.

“I don’t know,” she said, but there wasn’t any strength behind the words.

“What do you have to lose?”

It took her a moment to answer, but finally she exhaled and dropped her gaze to his chest. He didn’t want that, didn’t want her hiding her emotions from him, even if it was just her breaking eye contact. Taking hold of her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he lifted her head so she was forced to look at him again.

“Don’t fight the inevitable. Just let me show you I can be that person you lean on, can rely on. And when you’re ready, if you’re ready, we can take it to the next level,” Easton said softly, meaning everything he’d said to her. “Let me buy my mate some food and get to know her better.” He smiled again, hoping to appear nonthreatening, because no matter how gentle he tried to be, he knew he was rough around the edges. It wasn’t something he could help, no matter how much he wanted to show his mate that he would drop to his knees before her and worship her like the goddess she was.

“Okay, Easton.”

And just like that his world felt complete.

Chapter Eight

Several days later

A part of Jessie felt bad for going to lunch with Easton, not because she didn’t like him, but because everything with Brenna was still so fresh. One of the major factors pushing Jessie into going out with Easton was a voice in her head, one that sounded like Brenna, telling her that she couldn’t live her life in
mourning. It made Jessie sad, but she also knew that moping around the house wouldn’t do anything to help her. Maybe she’d feel better, have her emotions less jagged, if she explored this mating with the moose shifter?

She had agreed to meet him at the restaurant for lunch, and although she didn’t know how things would play out in the end, she was very happy that her mate was understanding and willing to give her time. He could have been a real asshole, demanding that it was his right to claim her, mate with her. She’d heard horror stories about that happening, but it seemed she lucked out with a genuinely good guy.

Grabbing her purse and eyes, she headed out of the house and to her car. The drive to the restaurant wasn’t very long. He’d picked a small deli in the square of town, and with it being the weekend the streets were probably busy with people shopping.

Once she was in the center of town, she parked across the street from where the restaurant was, looked at the little building, and felt her nerves rise. She hadn’t gone on a date in so long, hadn’t even been with a man in far longer.

“Now or never,” she whispered to herself, and finally climbed out of the car. She didn’t see Easton sitting in the patio section, which she kind of wished he had. The fact that
she wouldn’t be closed in with walls and a roof probably would have made her feel less twitchy.

Clearing her throat, Jessie tried to calm down, and told herself this was a good thing. Getting to know Easton would help her, would make her feel more stable, right? It wasn’t like he was going anywhere, not with him being her mate. And Jessie hadn’t decided if she wanted to stay in Sweet Water and live in Brenna’s house, or if she was going to pack up and move someplace else.

But being alone wasn’t comforting, obviously, and the promise of having someone by her side, someone who was connected to her in a way no one else ever would be, had this warmth filling her.

She stepped into the restaurant, let her eyes adjust to the lighting, and then she saw him sitting in one of the far booths in the back. His big body made the table seem childlike. Easton lifted his head and their gazes locked. He stood, all that height and muscle becoming visible. Jessie swallowed past the rising arousal claiming her, and told her serval to stay back, that this wasn’t what today was about.

And even from the distance she swore she could smell the mating heat coming from him. Or maybe that was coming from her? Maybe she was fighting this too hard? Easton watched her with unrestrained desire in his eyes the closer she came, and when she was sitting down across from him, the heat and electricity all but claiming every square inch of the space, she finally took a breath.

The deli was small and quaint, and she knew many of the Sweet Water residents came here daily. It was originally owned by two sloth shifters when Jessie had been younger, but she knew there was new management since the sloths had retired. Although the interior was small, it was cozy and the atmosphere eclectic.

Their waitress, a puma shifter with a big smile and bright brown eyes, stepped up to their table. The scent of her being newly mated filled Jessie’s head, and the sight of the mark she wore on the side of her neck cemented that scent.

She took their drink and food orders, and then they were left alone. The silence descended around them, and her nerves climbed higher the longer he sat there and stared at her. All that arousal that had been strong inside of her since she opened the door and had seen Easton standing there was now gone, and in its place was her uncertainty, her fear of what she was really going to do with her life now.

“So.” The glass of water and the condensation dripping down its side seemed overly interesting all of a sudden as her nerves took control.

“You don’t have to be so nervous around me, Jessie,” Easton said in a comforting, soft
,
but deep voice.

She lifted her eyes so she could see him.
Dammit, he looks good just sitting there, his white shirt peeking out from under his dark button up shirt.
He reminded her of a lumberjack, with the day’s worth of scruff along his cheeks and jaw, of the way his dark hair was messy around his head, and now with his dark, long-sleeved shirt he had on. Even the sight of his dark work boots peeking out from under the table made the whole ax-wielding shifter come into her mind.

He had the appearance of being relaxed, and maybe he was, but he also looked like he could break someone in half with just his bare hands. And Jessie had no doubts he could actually do that with little effort.

Jessie reached deep inside, straightened her spine, and decided that being nervous in front of him wasn’t going to get her anywhere, or make her feel any better. “Okay, I can try.”

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile, but he didn’t make a move to speak. The waitress came back with their drinks and set the glasses beside the water. Easton watching her was quite unnerving, and suddenly she was dying of thirst. She grabbed her water and downed half of it.

“I want you be relaxed around me, and not worry that I’m going to jump over the table and claim you.”

She choked on her water after he spoke, and grabbed the napkin he handed her. Jessie wiped off her mouth and neck, looked at him, and saw he grinned.

“It’s easier said than done.”

He nodded, and the scent of his empathy was strong.

“I’ll be honest, it’s hard for me to be like this around you, too.”

She continued looking at him, a little confused on what he meant. But before she could ask he was speaking again.

“I’m not used to … caring, I guess would be the right would for it.”

Jessie could understand what he was saying, and there was a part of her that knew what he meant, at least since Brenna’s passing.

“I’ve always led my life the way I wanted, and not worried about anything else. My parents are older, retried in Florida, so since they’ve gone I’ve been alone, but it’s suited me fine. I’ve been content and happy, in ways, living my life that way.” He shrugged and rested his big body back against the bench.

After he said that they stayed silent for several moments, looking at each other. Jessie didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to be honest with him, and probably would be sooner rather than later, because the truth was he deserved to know why she had shut him out. But even just spending this small amount of time with him, having him this close, was slowly breaking her wall down.

“You’ve always been happy to be alone?” she asked, figuring having a “safe” conversation that kept moving along would be best, maybe even crack the ice a little more. As it was she felt more relaxed around him, and felt that as time passed that would increase until she didn’t feel this tightness of her own worries filling her.

He nodded, but didn’t verbally respond right away.

Jessie took in his big body, the way he seemed relaxed, but she knew he really wasn’t, not completely. It also seemed like Easton was processing her question, maybe thinking of how to answer it. He ran a hand over his jaw, the sound of his palm moving over his scruff on his cheeks and chin a turn-on, yet she couldn’t understand why it would be. She squirmed on the seat minutely, hoping he was too lost in his own thoughts to take notice.

“I’ve always been content to just be by myself. If I needed company I found it, but it was short-lived.”

It was refreshing that he was so honest, but what she didn’t care for was the spike of jealousy she felt, of the way her serval got a little pissy, at the thought of Easton with another woman. That was life, she told herself. She wasn’t a virgin, and a man that looked like Easton, that was primed and all alpha, had needs as well. Jessie watched the way he inhaled, the way his nostrils flared a little, and she heard the deep sound that came from him. Yeah, he’d picked up on the scent of her jealousy, and she hated it. But it wasn’t something she could control, not with her mate and the filthy images of him and another woman filling her head.

Jessie had never been a jealous person, or, at least, she’d never cared enough about anyone to be jealous. The two guys she’d been with had been “safe”. They’d been the farthest thing from an alpha she could have found, but they’d also left her comfort zone intact. This moose shifter, her mate, was throwing all of that out the window. He made her feel twitchy, had the wall she’d erected around herself slowly crumbling just by being in his presence, and she’d never met a male that was as alpha as he was.

“Can I say that the scent of your jealousy is like the aroma of when it’s about to rain?” he said in a deeply husky, sexy voice. He leaned lightly forward and braced his forearms on the table. “It tingles the nose, and has my animal pushing up against my human, wanting to show you how much he likes the smell.”

She’d gotten soaked between her thighs instantly at the way he spoke, at the fact his dark eyes were trained right on her. This whole mating thing was taking her for a loop. Jessie felt like she wasn’t even herself, but honestly, right now, she kind of liked that, and wanted more.