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?”

don’t want to get to know you,” she

It had not been the one

you crap…” She stood up and walked out of the room. Mackenzie returned shortly with the rest of

the hell

***

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 have him pour his heart and soul out to her while she

could never see him

she slipped into a black and white dress that came just below her knee with matching shoes. She was meeting a new client this

his powerful arms folded across his chest and an almost scolding expression on his face. Mackenzie was stunned to find him there. She had thought he had left over an hour

standing here the whole time?”

amazingly patient

to run?” She said, pushing past him

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

I have

important, you make time.”

by the door. “Fine, I’ll give you five minutes. What do you want to

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

said, fidgeting

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

don’t think

let me

There was a long silence. “I have to go. Please don’t be here

***

from Mackenzie in days. She did not come to her 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 returned stateside. It was small and easy enough to bang out quickly. He was just finishing up 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 healed to prevent a staph infection. He then walked all three to

they were alone, Gordon walked back into his backroom, finding Mackenzie seated on his tattoo chair. “You’re late. Your appointment was two

know. I was hoping you

were going to

I don’t want someone else fucking it up. So, do you

“No, I really don’t.”

have another appointment coming

right away. I have to

“Oh, tomorrow, maybe?”

“Closed all day.”

“Why?”

of my boys is getting

she hopped off the chair and made to leave, looking like a pouting

and turned to face him. “I’ll finish it on Monday… if… you be my date for

Mackenzie grinned. “What time?”

so meet me

then turned

really hoped he was doing the right thing. He felt giving her a second chance was only fair since she had given him one when he’d had

***

where he had joined the small bigrade of pack members who had all come by to help set things up for the wedding tomorrow. He was helping Darrell decorate the arbour he had built for his nuptials. Darrell was a general contractor. There was nothing he could not build or fix. They were hanging white

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

back and looked over their

back and looked it over. “Damn,

“Thank you.”

smile at him. “Do you

looked surprised. “You’re already

should

a date