Creatures: A Limited Edition Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, page 289
Wow.
The other girl rose to her feet and fled from the room. At a motion from Amanda, one of the shows assistants chased after her.
Lip between her teeth, Allyse switched her focus back to their host.
“Can you tell us your name?”
“Nichole.”
“Very good. Tell me, Nichole, do you believe you can find truth in relationships by belittling people?”
“Excuse me?” The woman sputtered, glaring at him with burning, reproachful eyes.
Mr. Rochester returned the look, his nostrils flaring.
“No. I think you heard me just fine. You offered up a statement earlier about true love, but I don’t think there’s anything true about you. I think you like to hurt others to make yourself bigger and that is not a trait I find attractive whatsoever.”
Mr. Rochester gazed at the woman, his eyes glowing with amber fire.
Wait. Were they? Glowing?
A moment ago, they had been the most luscious shade of gray and now they were tinged with yellow.
Allyse blinked, sure she was imagining it. Anything else would put things too much in the land of wishing she was in a paranormal romance novel.
She started to reach for the water glass in front of her and for a second wondered if the water was spiked.
Shit.
She cleared her throat and his burning gaze shot toward her and as if reading her panic, he closed his eyes and recomposed himself, but the angry twist of his mouth still remained.
“I don’t have to answer to you.” Nichole rose from her chair, hands on her hips.
“No. That’s right. You don’t. Now, I think it’s best if you leave.”
She glared at Amanda and stood so hard the chair toppled over behind her.
“If this is the special edition of Extreme Bachelor you were looking for, I think you just got it, bitch.”
With a haughty toss of her blonde mane, Nichole stalked out of the dining room just as the food was being brought in.
Mr. Rochester held up his hand and paused the servers in their tracks.
“If you would, the questions will only take a few more minutes and then we can enjoy our dinner in peace.”
With a nod, they retreated back through the door in which they came, leaving the rest of the contestants blinking at one another like mascara-ridden owls.
Allyse shifted in her seat. One after another the questions continued and one by one the women left until it was only her and Soren. He met her eyes and she held her breath. What question would he ask her, and would she be just as easily dismissed? Would the fire in his eyes be her undoing or her salvation?
She kind of hoped it was a little of both.
Chapter 8
Soren regarded the empty chairs with a smile. Only one left. The only one that counted. But would she be the woman for him after all? Allyse was just as lovely as he remembered. To keep his wolf under control, he didn’t dare approach her in the traditional sense. Not yet. He was still bristling after his confrontation with Nichole. The others had left without much fanfare and he waved the servers to bring in dinner.
He glanced up to find Roxy, but she was already gone. Dealing with the wreckage he’d made of her plan, no doubt. If things worked out the way he wanted them to, she could tear into him for as loud and as long as she wanted. If it didn’t, she could lock him outside the next time it rained. Optimism. It was his ever-present friend.
The caterers brought in the first course of salads and as they set the plates down, he realized she was at the other end of the very long table.
He picked up his fork, spearing a Kalamata olive and a bit of feta cheese, watching her do the same.
“We met earlier today.”
“Yes, we did. Your small dog knocked me over in the kitchen.” Her lips curved up and a curious bit of color crept into her cheeks.
She took a bite and smiled.
* * *
“I believe the film crew had some hidden cameras in there to mark the occasion.”
“Oh no!” Allyse laughed, a horrified expression on her face. “That’s just…oh no.”
“You like dogs then?”
“I do. Very much in fact.” Allyse nodded. “I have one of my own that is staying with my mother while I’m here.”
“Tell me about him or her.” A light came into her eyes and some of his anger from earlier that evening melted away. He ate while he bantered with her, enjoying himself immensely for the first time in a very long while.
“Mr. Stinky. He came into my life six years ago. I had just lost my dog, Allie, and I saw a posting about a pair of baby Chihuahua mixes and their mom arriving at the local shelter. So, one Saturday my mom and I went down there.” She frowned and twisted the cloth napkin in her fingers. “It was hard. He had a cough and was sick. I looked at him and then picked up his sister but something about him…I don’t know. It was just love at first sight. My mom insisted and well…it’s been fate ever since.”
“So, you believe that people can form connections quickly?”
Allyse scrunched up her face. “It depends.” She finished the last small bite of her salad and a server swooped in to collect her plate.
“On what?”
“Can I ask you something first?” She watched him intently.
“Absolutely.”
He pushed the remains of his salad away, ready to start with something more substantial. In seconds, the plate was gone and in its place appeared the meal Mrs. D. had been taunting him with.
Rare prime rib and a portion of au gratin potatoes layered with cheddar cheese greeted him, the scent of the food causing his stomach to growl.
Allyse’s plate was laid in front of her and her eyes lit up.
“Oh. This looks amazing.”
“Wait until you try it,” he murmured, suddenly wishing he’d had her moved next to him. Dining at the other end of the table was simply too far.
Then the servers brought in the cheese puff rolls. His housekeeper’s secret recipe for the Brazilian cheese puff rolls was one of her most closely guarded secrets. As he watched Allyse pop one into her mouth he reached for one, letting the fluffy air-filled pastry dissolve on his tongue.
Allyse cleared her throat. “I’ve watched this show before, and I’ve worked behind the scenes in ones like it. You don’t seem like the kind of guy who would be a part of the Hollywood set up. Why this? Why now?”
Soren cleared his throat and wished by all that was holy the cameras would get the fuck out so he could talk to her and not sound like a stilted idiot.
“Shall we finish our meal first and then we can take our time getting to know one another?”
She blinked, obviously absorbing the information that she was not going to be ousted like the others.
“So, we’re really doing this?” Her lips turned down and she considered him.
“Yes.”
Allyse opened her mouth but closed it just as quickly, as if she were trying to find the right words.
“How is the food?” He cut into what was left of his dinner, hardly noticing he’d almost eaten most of it compared to her small bites.
“Delicious.”
“You have barely touched your plate.”
Her gaze swept the cameras and she offered him a tight smile.
So. It appeared she was as put off by the cameras as he was. Interesting.
Done, he slid his plate away and summoned a server.
“Will you walk with me? We can have this put away for you for later if you wish.” Allyse nodded, her lips sliding into a smile of what he interpreted as relief.
“That would be lovely.”
He stood, pushing his chair back from the table and made his way down the other end of the table.
Soren braced himself for her essence to wash over him as he held out his hand to assist her from her chair.
“Thank you.” She rose, the draped black fabric cascading down her body. He bit the inside of his cheek at the burst of arousal that sizzled through him. The wolf circled again, but this time in approval.
He gazed over at Amanda and gave her a slashing motion with his hand. “Cameras off, please.”
Amanda pouted. “Are you sure? This would make some great footage.”
Soren sighed. “Yes. I’m sure. Why don’t you record some of the pampered princesses being shown the door? That would entertain the viewers, I’m sure.”
Amanda perked up. “It sure would. And I think the crew has already gotten some pretty great shots.”
Soren led Allyse toward the doorway and out into the hall. “Earlier, you mentioned working at a bookstore.”
“I do.”
“Would you like to see something?” Soren stopped at a door and opened it with a flourish.
“Sure. But you haven’t answered my question…” Allyse’s voice trailed off and he watched her face glow with wonder.
It was a library like Allyse had never seen and, for a moment, it blinded her. Two stories of books enveloped the walls. Tracks wrapped around the shelves sporting ladders to take her anywhere she wanted to climb.
“This is yours?” She knew her voice was breathless but didn’t care.
“I thought you might enjoy it.” Soren shut the door behind her and walked over to an antique globe placed on a cherry wood table. All the furniture was dark and smelled of freshly cleaned leather and the comforting scent of books. A couch and easy chair were located in the middle of the room with small tables flanking them on either side.
“I do. It’s like being in heaven.”
“Good.” His eyes were bright when he turned away, and Allyse wanted very much to know what was going through his mind.
“Will you answer my question?”
“Yes.” He walked toward a set of French doors and opened them out into a garden. Crickets chirped in the night air.
A chill had descended and as she followed him outside, a shiver traveled through her body.
Roses in every shade of red were arranged in a circular garden surrounding a statue of what she could only describe as a beast. Lupine and wild, the worn figure held court surrounded by a riot of red roses. They spoke to her, their velveteen voices as sweet as the scent permeating the air.
“Oh!” Allyse darted forward to better observe the statue. “How lovely.”
“Thank you.” His voice had gone quiet and the jovial mood gone.
“What’s the matter?”
“Have you ever been pushed to do something when you know you haven’t got a choice?”
Allyse nibbled her lip. “I don’t follow.” She rubbed her arms with her hands in an effort to warm up.
“It’s the answer to your question. You’re correct that I’m not exactly the type to go on national television looking for a bride. Roxy, my publicist, thought it the best course of action.”
“But why a week? It’s a big decision to make, picking a wife.” Allyse turned her gaze away from the statue, and for a moment she wasn’t sure who appeared more tortured.
That was it.
He didn’t want to get married. Not really.
God. She was so stupid.
He was with her and he felt bad about it—even after chasing away all the shallow media hags. Allyse blinked back the sting of tears and swallowed the disappointment swirling in her gut. How could she possibly expect anything different? It had been that way all her life. All the thin and pretty girls had gotten everything their hearts desired while she sat watching, a wallflower.
“It’s hard to explain. But I do know that when we interacted in the kitchen there was something...”
And there had been. At least for her. And she could have sworn he felt it too. But she wanted to hear him say it.
“What?”
“An attraction. Did you feel it?” His dark eyes lingered on hers and she nodded, a flush creeping up over her cheeks.
“Yes,” she whispered. “But those other girls…they were perfect.”
Soren grimaced. “I beg to differ.”
“I don’t understand.”
In two steps, he was next to her, pulling her into his arms.
“What are you doing?” She stuttered, trying to put space between them.
It didn’t work.
“Kissing you.”
“I barely know you.”
She fell against his broad chest as his lips claimed hers in a relentless kiss. His body was hard muscle, the essence of his masculine scent leaving her breathless. She moaned and swayed deeper into his embrace. Powerful muscles rippled beneath his skin and the space between her thighs pulsed in longing.
He pulled back, his eyes luminous in the shadows.
“What do you want to know?”
Allyse fought for control of her wits. “Umm. The usual, I guess?”
“Hmmm. My favorite color is blue. I hate sushi but I love rare steak. Dogs are my life and I need someone to share it with. How is that?”
“It’s a start.”
“What about you?”
She met his lips again in a kiss, trying to formulate a coherent thought.
“Plants.”
“What?”
He wound his hands into her hair, the firm strength of him making her swoon. The woodsy scent of his skin urged her forward, the press of his erection against her belly encouragement enough to proceed. Her witch senses picked up something else.
A taste of magic swirled around him and the distinct sound of a howling wolf filled her inner senses.
“I, uh, have an affinity for plants. And finding things.”
“Good. I love roses. We can start with that.”
His hands explored her body over the dress and he pressed her against the doorway, urging her legs apart.
“Soren…”
Her mind was a haze of lust and need superseding all reason.
“Allyse,” he whispered against her lips. “I…”
Goddess, how she wanted him. In her bed…inside her body, and in her life. But first she had to get to know him. A pretty face wasn’t worth anything if she didn’t know more about the man himself. Experience had taught her that the hard way and she’d be damned before she traveled down that road ever again.
Stark reality came crashing in. They were standing in the middle of a garden, and she’d only just met him. Why would he have wanted her of all people? Did he think because she was curvier than most that she’d be willing to be taken like she was easy? Or worse—desperate? Were they filming this? Probably. A flush crept up her cheeks and she fought the desire to succumb to him.
She felt the tug of the gardens beyond and the very earth itself plucking at the threads of her magic. But there was something else there. A malignant force just out of reach that circled him and it made her afraid.
There was more here at work than met the eye and she would find out what it was.
“No.” She stumbled back. “This is too fast.”
The glow in his eyes was back again and her inner witch snapped to attention.
“I’m sorry…”
“The contract I signed requires me to be here a week. If you truly want me, you’ll give me a reason to stay.”
Now she could see the moon in his eyes. This was no romance novel. Real fear thrummed in her veins.
“Allyse.”
“No.” She shook her head, trying to clear it. “I’m going to my room. I’ll see you in the morning.” She fled, the voice of doubt co-mingling with the sweet song of the roses begging her to return.
Allyse dreamed. She was in her room and the French doors to the balcony hid a forest of myth and magic. She lay in bed tossing and turning, the night music loud in her ears. Then he was there. The doors blown open and the wild night rushing in to meet her.
A cursed hero, bespelled with a battle, raging against time and circumstance.
An elegant red nightgown flowed around her body, and she felt like a seductive red riding hood to his masterful beast. He was at the bed, his lips coaxing hers apart with a wordless plea.
Was this real or was it imagined? His warmth felt tangible and she reveled in the smoky scent of him, like he’d spent time outdoors near a bonfire.
“Allyse.”
Soren’s lips found hers, sudden and full of need. “I have to feel you. Even like this.”
Her hair was loose, and he wrapped his fingers in the long tresses, dragging her mouth to his for a long and hungry kiss. His eyes glowed, the need in them clear.
“Yes.”
“My mate…”
His teeth scraped against her flesh and she shivered.
How she wanted that to be true.
Her witch fire scorched hot, pulsing under her skin. He made her want beyond all imagining. Her sex spasmed and she moaned, the desire for all of her empty places to be filled nearly overwhelming.
Soren stepped back and she watched him disrobe, his black sweater gone in an instant. He kicked off his boots and went to work on the zipper of his jeans.
A whisper of cloth sliding over his hips met her ears as the denim hit the floor. He stood naked before her, his cock jutting out proud and at attention.
She sucked in a ragged breath and slid the red silken fabric up her thighs. He climbed onto the bed, his lips exploring a path up the soft flesh of her legs. God, how she wanted him. Her fingers slid into his hair as he pushed the nightgown up baring her mound to his gaze. His lips continued their heated path as she opened her legs and revealed all to him.
“I long to taste you,” he whispered against her, delving inside her hidden folds with the fiery heat of his tongue.
“Unnnngh!” Allyse arched her back as he slid a thick finger inside of her. His kisses traveled upward, his lips teasing her breasts through the confines of the nightgown.
Soren seduced her with first one finger and then two, his tempo picking up until she was a panting writhing mess.
“Do you want me inside of you?”
Her body liquefied at the heat of his words.
Instead of answering, she reached for him, her hand closing over his length. She tugged him forward, momentarily bereft when he removed his fingers from her.
