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?”

to get to know you,” she said with all seriousness.

her response. It had not

know you crap…” She stood up and walked out of the room. Mackenzie

hell had

***

knees up and 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 have him pour his

never see

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.

who was standing just on the other side of the door, his powerful arms folded across his chest and an almost scolding expression

here

amazingly patient man,”

have a business to run?” She said, pushing past him and heading for the

gave myself the day off,” he said, following Mackenzie

time. I have a meeting to

important, you

by the door. “Fine, I’ll give

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

said, fidgeting with

by her response. “I see, ok, can I call

don’t

you going to let me finish your tattoo?”

him in the eyes. There was a long silence. “I have to go. Please don’t be here when I get back,”

***

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

alerting him to a new 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 healed to prevent a staph infection. He then walked all three to the front counter and completed

Mackenzie seated on his tattoo chair. “You’re

I was hoping you could squeeze

thought you were going to

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

“No, I really don’t.”

have another appointment

actually closing up right away. I have to help

“Oh, tomorrow, maybe?”

“Closed all day.”

“Why?”

have a wedding to go to. One of my boys

and made to leave, looking like a

“I’ll finish it on Monday… if… you be my date

Mackenzie grinned. “What time?”

by noon, so meet me

she then turned and

thing. He felt giving her a second chance was only fair since she had given him one when he’d had his hissy fit the night she came to his home 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

The ladies were throwing a bash of Katelyn, Darrell’s fiancée. In turn, the guys were

and looked over their handiwork. “Looks good. I

over. “Damn, boy, you do good

“Thank you.”

you

surprised. “You’re already

why should I

you have a date