Mate Not Wanted (3 page)

Pierce said nothing, but he couldn’t squelch his excitement. Mack was really invested in this. Both leagues—football and rugby—would try to outdo the other. He’d have to watch things carefully to make sure they didn’t go overboard.

Pierce had his car brought around, and as he slipped behind the wheel, a sense of pride filled him. He revved the engine, reveling in the purr of his 2013 Jaguar F-Type. The convertible just screamed for a drive in the mountains along the winding roads, but instead he had to go home. With a foot on the accelerator he peeled out of the parking lot, forcing himself to keep his speed under the limit so he wouldn’t get a ticket.

Trees blurred by and his body began to relax as his stresses melted away. Suddenly, there was no opening night, no success or failure to worry about. Here he was with his thoughts, closer to his element. His mind traveled to the one thing that he’d been trying to avoid thinking about: Madison Weston, the curvy little lioness who haunted his kinkiest fantasies and dreams.

A burst of heat washed through his chest and moved down to his stomach. A shadow of her scent filled the cab: sunshine, lemon, grass, and feline musk. He let out a groan as the warmth moved downward to fill his shaft and buzz around his balls. They’d only spent a few moments together, and yet her perfume and the sensation of her presence were imprinted on his brain. He could practically taste her warmth and feel the fire of her resistance. She was like a craving, an addiction he could never satiate. Just when he thought he could get close to her, she’d dart away and hide.

Another burst of fire filtered through his veins like sparks from a sparkler. He growled as another wave overtook him.

Why did she avoid him? There was only a small indication that she was attracted to him. It wasn’t enough, but it couldn’t stop the daydreams and fantasies that filled his head and threatened to shake his cool. Even now, alone, he could feel the tension that threaded along his legs and arms.

The feline instinct in him wanted to find Madison, wherever she was, and claim her. It went against everything his human side felt was right in the world. She had to come to him willingly. The waiting, however, was torturous. Nights alone, with only his imagination for company and his hand for relief, were starting to wear him thin. Not even porn helped take his mind away from how alone he was and how empty his bed felt.

Within, his tiger clawed at his heart, demanded he search Madison out and carry her away. He resisted the impulse. This was not the middle ages, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to act like a savage.

His thoughts streamed toward the bachelor auction. Lots of single women in the shifter community wanted to get their paws on him, and they had made it perfectly clear that they’d do anything he asked of them. His stomach soured in revulsion. Only his mate could release him from these feelings.

Pierce shook his head as he hit the button for the gates of his property and then turned into the drive. Hesitation filled him, pushing back some of his arousal. His tiger remained vigilant, pushing images into his head of Madison—her full lips, button nose, large brown eyes, and flawless, cocoa-colored skin. She had an hourglass figure and a tendency to wear things that reinforced that image, from corsets with blouses and pencil skirts to dresses that hugged her form like a second skin. She had a confidence and sway about her that enticed him. Madison Weston was a mystery wrapped in silk and perfume. She didn’t wear much makeup, but then again she didn’t need any artifice to look beautiful.

He wondered how he was going to survive the shifter females at the auction without insulting them. Many in the community had invested in this new sport of his, and the last thing he needed was a group of enemies. The league allowed paranormals to truly unleash their true natures in a sports setting. A lot of popular athletes had come out of the paranormal closet to participate, leaving lucrative contracts and being shunned by their human counterparts. There was turmoil in the sports community at that moment. No one knew what to make of things as they stood, and some paranormal athletes were still not admitting to their otherworldly status. There was even talk of the vampires possibly joining the Elemental League.

They just needed to get through opening day. With all the cameras around and people looking for him to fail, he wanted to tell everyone to sod off, find a pint, and hide in his house until everything was done. Being the face of the Elemental League was putting him on edge. His wilder instincts were coming out and his tiger wanted time to itself to do some hunting—become that wild loner he’d been when he had played himself.

In those days, he had kept a low profile, but had a different woman waiting for him after every game. Now there was only one woman he wanted.

Pierce turned into his driveway and let out a sigh. He was home and yet he didn’t feel safe or happy in the least. He felt lost. He could only hope that when he did get Madison in his net she’d like the place he’d custom built to house a family.

Chapter Two

Madison tried to ignore the list of participants for the bachelor auction on her computer screen and focus on her dinner. She dragged a fry through the barbecue sauce and popped it into her mouth. The tart, spicy sweetness rolled over her tongue with the earthy saltiness of the fried potato trailing behind. For a moment, her mind was focused on the bliss of deep-fried delight, but as soon as her taste buds were satiated her brain tried to drag her back to the topic she dreaded—Pierce McKinney and his piercing ice-blue eyes.

Unfortunately, her brain was in cahoots with her two best friends, LeAnna Washington and Alec Treaty, who were both bent over her laptop. Lea was reading out the bachelors’ stats and scribbling down the men who caught her eye. Madison tried to stay out of it and focus on eating the rest of her turkey burger in peace.

“Come on, Madison, you have to go.” Lea nudged Alec’s shoulder and stole a fry off his plate. “Alec, tell her she has got to stare at some prime man meat.”

Alec shrugged. “I’m not gonna comment. Besides, why would we want to ogle them? It’s not like they have a queer section. I highly doubt any of those men would find it funny if I put in a bid for a date with them. You know, since I have cooties.”

Madison stifled a giggle. “And
I’m
not interested in the auction. I can just give to the Children’s Hospital via my laptop from home. No need to get dressed up or anything.”

Easy peasy. At least that’s what Madison told herself. Somehow, she already knew that Lea would get her to go, even if she was stuck in the hospital with appendicitis. The cougar shifter was eager to play matchmaker, no matter how much a person protested, and was not above resorting to blackmail to get her way.

Lea wouldn’t be deterred. With a few taps of the keys and a click of the mouse, she turned the laptop around and showed Alec a new page. “There you go. All the yummy gay man flesh you can handle and all up for auction.” She waggled her eyebrows for emphasis before she leaned back with a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile. “They wanted to be fair to everyone and do a gay section. This way everyone gets to be involved and there won’t be protests.”

“Uh-huh? Come to Alec, sexy gay bachelors!” Alec grabbed the laptop and pulled it toward him with a whistle. “Well butter my biscuits, they have Torsten up here. The big T is putting himself up on the auction block? I may have to go to this one after all.” His gaze wandered over the screen as he read aloud all of Torsten’s likes and dislikes, including what he found attractive in a mate. “Is it getting hot in here or is just me?” Alec grinned lasciviously. “Long walks on the beach? Ha! I’d love to see if I can get sand in his shorts.”

“Traitor!” Madison took another bite of her sandwich, ate some more fries, and sipped her vanilla-bean mocha milkshake.

Alec rolled his eyes. “I’ve had waking wet dreams of this man doing filthy things to me after a championship. Things porn stars wouldn’t do.” He leered. “Yes, indeed. I’ll have to check my savings and make sure that there will be enough in there. He’ll be a popular one.” Alec scrolled through the rest of the candidates, each one more delicious than the last. “Hot damn, they have a lot of choices. I love it. Can they do this every month? No wait, not every month, otherwise I’ll starve.”

Madison bristled. She’d be the only one left out of auction fever. Now that Alec was involved they’d double-team her. She shuddered at the thought of all the things they’d use to get her to show up.

Alec looked up and grinned. “I know why you’re not happy. The big, bad Brit isn’t on this list. I mean, there are plenty of sexy options here but not him.”

Madison glowered him into silence. “You know, for a horse shifter I think all your intelligence was given to your cock and not your brain. I’m not upset in the least. In fact, I don’t care.”

Alec typed in something and turned the laptop around again. The image of Pierce McKinney stared at her, bright blue eyes gazing back at her with a fierce, determined look that made her heart rate pick up, her stomach muscles clench, her pussy fill with liquid heat, and her brain short circuit. The man wasn’t conventionally handsome, what with his crooked nose and rugged features, but to her the tiger shifter was everything she could want.

And yet, Madison refused even to dip her toe in that pond for fear of getting her heart ripped out. Pierce had a reputation with the ladies. He’d been a football star over in England, with a different woman in every city. The wild antics he’d indulged in were reported by a breathless press and poured out by women desperate for their fifteen minutes. Madison wasn’t about to be another notch in his belt. So what if he had started acting like a priest since moving to town? Tigers didn’t change their stripes. He was probably just after her for her inheritance.

“Not even my type,” she said dismissively. “I’m a lioness. We don’t do tigers.”

She took another sip of her milkshake, feigning disinterest, but her lioness snorted and paced as she snuck another peek at Pierce’s visage. Even from a computer screen, he devastated her defenses. Pierce McKinney was dangerous with a capital D, no doubt about it. To make matters worse, her father was becoming his best friend and doing everything he could to set them up together. He’d even insisted on going to the opening match of the new para-football league, much to her mother’s annoyance. Neither Madison nor her mother could stop him from going, but they had made sure to call ahead and have the kitchens prepare something healthy for him to eat. The last thing they wanted was another attack.

“Does a bear shit in the woods?” Alec laughed. “Of course he’s your type, honey, or you wouldn’t be fighting as hard as you are. Miss Independent, my ass. You want him to tie you down and spank your ass. You dream of saying, ‘Yes, Daddy, I’ve been so bad, spank me harder.’”

The world became blurry as Madison choked on milkshake. Breathing became difficult. Her lungs burned for air as she coughed up what had gone down the wrong pipe. She blinked back tears as Alec pounded and rubbed her back.

“Never say that again. Ever,” she rasped out.

Alec chuckled. “OK, maybe the Daddy thing was pushing it. But you know you want him to do the other stuff, including spankings.”

Madison’s ass warmed at the thought and her vaginal walls fluttered, but she refused to give him an answer. Instead, she focused on Lea. “You’re going to drag me to that event, aren’t you?”

Lea grinned. “Of course, babe. And if you’re good we may even buy you a hunk so you can get laid.”

Alec brought his hand to his chest. “Can you buy
me
a hunk? I won’t even promise to be good.”

Madison coughed again. “Traitors, the both of you. You don’t love me.”

Lea squeezed her shoulder. “Of course we love you. Enough to want to get you laid, even if it can’t be with Mr. Rugged himself.”

Madison burst out laughing. “You both are dorks. I’ll make a donation but I won’t bid. Besides, I don’t need to get laid. I have Bob to keep me company. Who needs a man?”

Lea and Alec shrugged. “Well, we’ll get you one anyway,” Alec said.

“I hate you both. Now are you going to finish those fries or can I have some?” She pointed to the plate in front of Alec, hoping the change in subject would work.

It didn’t. The focus was just shifted to Alec.

“OK, why exactly do we need to bring you to the bachelor auction?” Lea said. “You’re a gorgeous and charming man, you own your own home, you’re a professor, and did I mention you’re gorgeous?”

“Anyway, enough stoking your ego,” Madison said in another attempt to change the subject. “How’s your mom? I’ve been meaning to stop by and see her.”

Alec raised a hand and signaled for another round of pints. He slid his empty stein back and forth between his hands, with his eyes downcast and his lips a thin line.

“Alec?” Madison reached over, placed a hand over his, and gave it a small squeeze. “What’s wrong?”

He looked up, brown eyes filled with a sadness so deep and strong it made Madison’s heart ache. Worry for him drove away any thoughts of the auction or Pierce.

“Alec, you can tell us.” Madison looked over at Lea, hoping her friend would say something, but Lea just looked away. What was going on? Did they know something she didn’t? Why weren’t they telling her?

Alec took in a shuddering breath. “It’s my Mam. She’s sick. Really sick. We’re doing everything we can for her but still…She was the first person to accept me when I came out.”

The sound of Alec’s voice tore at Madison’s insides as her heart picked up speed. She gripped his wrist and gave it a squeeze. “I don’t know what to say but I won’t patronize you by saying it’s going to be OK. I will say we’re going to be here for you. Whatever you need, we’re here.”

Madison looked over at Lea who still wasn’t looking at Alec. “Lea?”

Lea looked at them, pain in her brown eyes, tears showing in the corners. “I’m so sorry, Alec,” she sniffled. “I know what you’re going through, my gram is also ill.”

The bottom of Madison’s world fell out all over again as memories of the hospital returned. The loud, obnoxious beeping of the machines that were hooked up to her father. His waxy countenance. The noxious smell of cleaning solution and medicine all around. So many people in white coats who could do nothing for him. Her mother looking so frail by her father’s bedside. It had taken everything in Madison not to run away from the claustrophobic space.