Once Upon a Shifter (109 page)

And so did I.

Drawing my fingers back outside of myself, I drifted off to sleep, imagining the comfort of Jackson’s body beside me.

Chapter 5

Jackson

I smelled the salmon cooking as soon as the elevator hit my floor. Hopefully it would continue to mask Emily’s scent long enough for me to get control of myself. Every time she came near me, it nearly sent me over the edge, and I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to reign it in. I guess finding your mate will do that to you.

“Emily?” I called as I burst through the door. Her hair whipped around as she spun to face me.

“Jackson!” she said. “You’re just in time. It’s kind of a lucky coincidence since I had no idea what time to expect you.”

“You cooked,” I said. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Don’t be silly, it was the least I could do. I mean, you’re letting me stay here in your home. I had to repay you somehow.”

“You’re sweet, Emily, and I appreciate it. But truly, you don’t have to repay me at all. You’re staying here because I want to keep you safe from…because I want to make sure you’re okay.”

“There was salmon in the fridge, and not much else. Well, I made asparagus and sweet potatoes, but you really didn’t leave me many options.”

“I didn’t expect you to need them,” I said.

Her face flushed that adorable crimson color again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep my bounds or anything. I just thought I could do you a favor and…”

“Emily,” I said, setting my laptop bag down and approaching her. “Thank you. It was a thoughtful gesture. All I meant was that I’m grateful. I didn’t expect anything from you. You don’t need to feel any obligation to do anything for me. It’s important that you understand that. Your choices matter. Your will matters.”

“That’s a little severe sounding,” she said as she flipped the fish over in the pan. “It’s just dinner. I thought you’d be hungry, was all. And besides, I needed to do something to entertain myself.”

“It smells delicious,” I said. “Do you need any help? Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Nope, no way. This should be ready in just a few more minutes. The only thing I need you to do is sit down and relax while I take care of this.”

At least she seemed to be growing more comfortable with me. I welcomed the break from the overly formal and the nervous rambling. Her natural demeanor was confident and friendly, and definitely something I could get used to.

“All right,” I said. “Since it looks like you’ve got things under control here, I’m going to go get changed.”

As I headed down the hall towards my room, her scent seemed to grow stronger. It snuck up on me like a thief, masked by the scent of the meal until it hit me all at once like a falling boulder.
Fuck
. I didn’t expect it to be so strong. I had hoped for a moment to collect myself before rejoining her, but I guess that was a luxury I wouldn’t get.

I shouldn’t have been so caught off guard by it. I
did
tell her to make herself at home, after all. She probably spent some time exploring the place earlier. And I was glad she did. I wanted her to feel comfortable here.

When I entered my room, her scent nearly overcame me. A growl escaped my lips as I fought to keep the bear inside. But it was wasted effort. I couldn’t fight it. Her smell was far too strong here, wrapping around me and flowing through me, overwhelming my body.

I felt the burning in my eyes and beneath my skin that preceded the change. The elder clan members had always cautioned me that the pull of the mate was too powerful too resist. But I was young and arrogant then, and I disagreed. I thought that I could avoid fate, hide from my destiny, and keep everyone safe. The war with the cougar pack had torn my family apart, and when my mother was killed protecting
me
, my father never recovered. And I never forgave myself.

So I did the only sensible thing I could think to do. I left them all behind, moving to the city to start a new life, far away from anyone and everyone who may be in danger because of me. It was safer for everyone if I left my shifter roots behind. I vowed that from that day forward I would only call on my bear form to protect people, and to do right in the world. I may not be able to atone for what happened to my mother, but every innocent life I saved mattered.

But I had been careless, and the cougars had found me. It was more than just bad luck that Emily had applied for the position with me, but the moment I saw her I knew that fate couldn’t be fought. No one would ever be hurt on my account again. Especially my mate. And if I had found her, then the cougars were sure to be close behind.

It turned out they were closer than I thought. And on the night Emily was attacked, I nearly lost her. More suffering on my behalf. I would not tolerate it. I would figure out a way to keep Emily safe, deal with the cougars, and send her away. It was the only plan that made any sense.

I sat down on my bed, pondering the options, when I was overwhelmed by a blast of Emily’s scent. It was different than before. Animal. Sweet and delicious. And I couldn’t fight the desire that welled up inside my body, surging from my nose down to my cock as it spread throughout my core. The warm, tingly electricity of uncontrollable lust. I had no idea my reaction would be so visceral.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

I couldn’t resist fate’s pull no matter how hard I fought it. I cursed my body, and the cruel joke that brought her here to me.

I wouldn’t be able to hide my secret from her forever. But how could I possibly tell her about who I am, about
what
I am, without scaring her away?
Hello dear, I’m a shapeshifting bear and you’re my destined mate. How was your day?
Something tells me it wouldn’t go well. Even as keen as she seems on freedom and adventure, getting tangled up in a situation as dangerous as this is probably not what she had in mind.

She would freak out and run for it, straight to the waiting cougars, who would kill her in front of me and use her to destroy me. They’d run rampant all over this city, taking whatever they wanted for themselves and not caring who they hurt in the process.

Still, it wasn’t right for me to keep this from her. If I was going to keep her safe, I needed her to trust me. I would tell her the truth. I had to.

After
I hunt down the cougars.

Chapter 6

Emily

I pulled the salmon from the pan and positioned it neatly on the plates. Everything had to be perfect. I was a decent cook and all, but a man of his means was probably used to nothing but the finest gourmet. Even it didn’t measure up to his standards, he would hopefully appreciate the gesture and the effort. I would give him the best meal I possibly could.

The lush purple hues of the setting sun through the enormous window set the perfect atmosphere. It would lend an easy atmosphere to our conversation. Was I being presumptuous, thinking he would eat dinner with me? I hope not. He seemed to accept my little informal invitation, at least. He did seem hesitant, though. Maybe that’s the wrong word. He didn’t seem like himself. I would just try to squish those damned butterflies flitting around in my stomach and pretend that I wasn’t sitting there across the table from the sexiest man I’d met in well…ever.

“Emily, that smells delicious,” Jackson said as he finally came back out into the dining room. “I’m sorry I ran off so quickly before. I just…I had a long day. I appreciate your thoughtfulness, and I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m ungrateful.”

“I hope you like it. I mean, if you didn’t like salmon you probably wouldn’t have it in your refrigerator. But I hope you like the way I’ve prepared it.”

Jackson came around behind me, placing his large hand on my shoulder as he pulled the chair out for me to sit. And they say chivalry is dead. Even though it was apparent that he wasn’t used to company, he handled me with a poise and grace that came naturally.

“Can I get you something to drink? Wine?” he asked as he slid the chair beneath me and lifted his hand away. My skin tingled with the absence of his touch as he pulled his hand away from my body. I didn’t know how I was going to make it through this without embarrassing myself. Have dinner with the billionaire! What was I thinking?

“Sure,” I said. “Whatever sounds good to you.”

“You seem shaken, Emily,” he said as he perused the wine rack, finally pulling a bottle of pinot noir. “That’s understandable, considering everything that’s happened to you in the last twenty-four hours. But I promise you that everything will work out. I will personally make sure of it. You can relax tonight.”

I admired the dexterity of his hands as he effortlessly uncorked the bottle. His movements were all controlled and deliberate, effortless in their precision. I fought to keep my breathing steady as I imagined those skillful hands tracing over my body. I couldn’t help myself. The attraction I felt to him was raw and unprecedented.

But I was deluding myself. I needed to get out of here for both our sakes before I did something embarrassing. This man was kind enough to take me in, and all I want to do is sleep with him. Like there was even a chance of that happening.

“Jackson, I’ll be honest. I don’t know why you’re doing this for me. You’ve been nothing but kind and generous since the moment you met me, and, please don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re nothing like I expected.”

Jackson’s mouth widened into a mischievous smile. “Is that right?” He took a forkful of the fish into his mouth, closing his eyes to savor it. “Please tell me, then. What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. You’re a billionaire businessman. I expected you to be more…arrogant? Selfish? Assholish? Especially since you’re so damn good loo…”

Dammit. Why did I say that? Why couldn’t I ever reign myself in? Hey, let’s move to the Rockies even though I have nowhere to live! Hey, let’s go to the theater at night, alone, in a strange city. I know, let’s insult the man who was kind enough to rescue you from yourself, and then tell him you think he’s hot. Great job. Maybe next you can tell him you touched yourself in his bed.

“Is that my reputation? I’m sorry to disappoint.”

“No!” I said quickly. “No, that’s not your reputation. That’s just the kind of thing you hear about guys like you, and I…I guess I assumed you’d be the same. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“No offense taken, Emily. If that’s the worst thing someone says about me today, I can live with it.”

“Now that I think about it, I don’t seem to recall reading anything about you. Like, ever.”

“I try to stay out of the spotlight. As you may have noticed, I don’t exactly have an army of servants running around here preparing my meals, doing chores, or anything really. Noah drives the car and takes care of a few things for me, but on the whole I prefer to be self-sufficient. It’s just easier this way. No complications.”

“No connections, no family, no…love?”

His fork clattered to the plate. “No complications,” he said curtly.

I took an unreasonably large gulp of my pinot noir. “I’m sorry.”

“My life is easier when there’s no one else in it. It’s just not easy for me to let people in. I’ve known Noah since we were kids, and he’s really the only person I trust. Other than that, I keep to myself.”

“But aren’t you lonely?” I asked. God, I was on a roll. I don’t know what compelled me to ask, except that I sensed a genuine longing in him for something more. He was shutting out the world and I wanted to know why. If he was going to save me, then maybe I could save him, too.

He looked away for a long moment and closed his eyes tight, like he was wrestling some demon from his past. There was a war raging inside his head that I knew nothing about. Maybe I had gone too far. I should just let this go.

“Yes,” he said.

Jackson stood up and carried his plate to the kitchen. I don’t know what came over me in that moment. But I rushed to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and held him as tightly as I could. A man like him didn’t deserve to feel whatever pain was haunting him. I pressed my head into his chest and heart his heart thumping faster as he inhaled sharply.

I don’t know what changed in him, but there was no mistaking the urgency of his reaction. He threw his arms around me and pulled me in close to his body. I felt the muscles of his chest ripple and flex as he pressed himself against me.

He reached up and held my face in his hands, finally looking into my eyes. I never noticed how beautiful they were. A deep, rich brown, lined with a brilliant golden ring that seemed so familiar. I was mesmerized.

My heart raced as his warm breath hit my cheek, and I felt the wetness pooling between my legs. I wanted him to throw me down on the kitchen table, tearing my blouse from my body as his hands consumed my body with the passion that I felt in him, ready to burst from the seams of his tightening jeans.

I closed my eyes and leaned in towards him, inviting the kiss.
Please, can’t you see that I want you? I need this. You need this. I’m yours.

Like the slow pull of a magnet, his lips drew closer to me, drawing out every painful second that our bodies weren’t in contact. And then, with a fury that caught me off guard, his mouth was on me. His lips parted my own, his tongue searching hungrily as he nibbled on my lower lip with the ferocity of a hungry animal.

I relaxed into his strong grip as my hand ran through his hair. In that moment, I was his. His mouth traced down the side of my cheek as he lightly kissed my neck. My body ached for him to fill me. Never before had I felt the need as strongly as I felt in that moment for him to fill me. I wanted every inch of him inside me, thrusting with unquenchable need.

Jackson pulled my body closer, his cock throbbing against me through his pants. His hand ran down my chest as I pressed myself into him, my nipples growing stiff at his touch.
Unfasten my buttons, Jackson. Pull this damn blouse off my body and let me feel your lips on my skin.