Beautiful Creatures Series

The smell of brewing coffee drew Gordon from his sleep. He had not slept that soundly in… well. He could not remember the last time he slept like that. He had been dead to the world. Gordon rolled over in bed and looked around. Mackenzie was not in bed. It had been so late by the time they had worn themselves out Mackenzie had suggested he stay the night, and he was way too wiped out to drive home, so he snuggled in close to her and let sleep take him. Only now she was missing, and he was alone.

Gordon climbed out of bed and found his pants. He tugged them on and went in search of the source of that welcomed morning smell. He walked down the hall to find Mackenzie in the kitchen, just wearing a pair of booty shorts and his shirt. Her dark ebony hair was tied up in a sloppy ponytail.

“Now that is even sexier than the lace,” he said, coming up behind her and wrapping both arms around her waist as he nuzzled her neck. “I could just eat you up,” he purred gently, tugging at her earlobe with his teeth.

“Coffee?” She said, turning in his arms and offering him a mug of freshly brewed coffee.

“Thank you,” he kissed her cheek, accepting the mug she offered.

“Cream and sugar?” She offered.

“No thanks, I take it black,” he said, sipping his coffee as he walked over to the couch and sat down. “Damn, this is good coffee.”

“It should be it is expensive enough,” she said, mixing cream and sugar into her own before joining him on the couch. Gordon draped his arm over the back of the couch, and Mackenzie scooted in close, cuddling up to him with her feet pulled up on the cushion tucked under her bottom.

“What time is it?”

“Eight,” she answered, looking up at him. “Do you have to rush off and open the shop?”

“Not right away. The best thing about being the boss I work when I want. Do you have someplace to be?”

“I have to meet a new coupled at ten, but besides that, no,” a naughty little grin curved the corner of her delectable mouth. “Why? Do you want to fool around?” There was so much excitement in her tone, Gordon grinned with pride.

“Is sex all you think about?”

“No, sometimes I’m asleep,” she said with a straight face as she sipped her coffee. It was all Gordon could do not to choke on his coffee when he laughed. “Men are ridiculous. You all want a woman with a high sex drive until you meet a woman with a high sex drive. Then all of a sudden, you can’t keep up.”

“Don’t count me among them. I have stamina as you have never seen,” he was not boasting; it was a fact. As a Lycanthrope Alpha, Gordon was blessed with strength, speed, and endurance that no human man could ever hope to achieve. While he was in his mid-forties physically, he could outperform any 18-year-old Olympian who did nothing but train and still have enough energy at the end of the night to go clubbing.

“Come back tonight, and we will see who wears out whom,” she challenged.

Gordon grinned. He loved hanging out with Mackenzie. She was one hell of a woman, and he liked her a lot more than he should. He would never complain about the sex, he enjoyed the sex, but he found himself craving to know her better. “What are we?”

“Horny?” She grinned.

“To each other?”

“Oh,” she said with a serious expression. “Well, we are friends.”

“Friends?”

“With benefits. Don’t you like being my friend?”

“With benefits?”

“You don’t like the benefits?”

“I love the benefits, but call me old-fashioned. I like to get to know the person I’m fucking.”

“You want to get to know each other?” She said, pulling back and sitting, so she was looking at him with her coffee in both hands. “That sounds dangerously like the start of a relationship.”

“You don’t want a relationship?”

“I’m surprised that you do. You did just get out of what I’m assuming was a horrific relationship. Why would you want to start a new one so soon?”

“I’m not talking about getting married. I’m just suggesting a date that doesn’t start in the bed?”

want to get to know you,” she said with all

blindsided by her response. It had not been the one he had been expecting. “Why

don’t want to lie to you. If we did, the get to know you crap…” She stood up and walked out of the room. Mackenzie returned shortly with the rest of his clothes. Gordon stood up, accepting his things. “Please, just go,” she then turned and

hell had

***

hugged them. She felt so bad sending Gordon away. Mackenzie always kept things light and casual. She didn’t like to get to know people. She didn’t like to lie to people, but if she got to know Gordon, she would tell him nothing but lies. For years in witness protection, Mackenzie couldn’t even remember the truth most of the time. It would be wrong of her to

could never see him

day. She curled her hair and put on her makeup. Then she slipped into a black and white dress that came just below her knee with matching shoes. She was meeting a new

folded across his chest and an almost

been standing here

amazingly patient

a business to run?” She said, pushing past

day off,” he said, following Mackenzie to the door. “We need to

time. I have a meeting to get

is important, you

important to him? Mackenzie stood by the door. “Fine, I’ll give you five minutes. What do you want

freaked you out. That had not been my intent. It’s clear you are not looking for a relationship; I’m ok with that. If all you want is a good time, then fine. I don’t mind. I won’t ask any more questions. But when you are

go,” she said, fidgeting with her

looked wounded by her response. “I see, ok, can

I don’t

you going to let me finish

it,” she said, not looking him in the eyes. There was a long silence. “I have to go. Please don’t be here when I get back,” she then turned

***

next appointment. Gordon had been annoyed for days. He had gone and screwed up a good thing. He should have kept his mouth shut and enjoyed the ride. Today he was tattooing matching military tattoos on four young soldiers who had just

customer. He sprayed the site with saline water, then wiped it down and wrapped him up. When he looked up again, he saw Mackenzie coming into the back without an invite. Gordon finished the cleanup and gave the men instructions on how to care for their tattoos while they

into his backroom, finding Mackenzie seated on his tattoo chair. “You’re

know. I was hoping you could squeeze me

thought you were going to have someone else

my mind. I don’t want someone else fucking

“No, I really don’t.”

have another

actually closing up right away. I

“Oh, tomorrow, maybe?”

“Closed all day.”

“Why?”

a wedding to go to. One of my boys is getting married. I’m a groomsman.”

to leave, looking like a pouting child who

face him. “I’ll finish it on Monday… if…

Mackenzie grinned. “What time?”

have to be there by noon, so meet me at my place no later than ten.”

then

giving her a second chance was only fair since she had given him

***

had built for his nuptials. Darrell was a general contractor. There was nothing he could not build or fix. They were hanging white silk, flowers, and fabric butterflies to make it beautiful while Gordon’s daughter

a bash of Katelyn, Darrell’s fiancée. In turn, the guys were heading over to Stanton’s place to throw Darrell a

over their handiwork. “Looks good. I think we

looked it over. “Damn, boy, you do good work.”

“Thank you.”

to smile at him. “Do you mind if I bring a

looked surprised.

why should

have a