Of course, he had no idea how to court a human, or whatever the hell it was they did. In his world, it was hard, fast lust. No relationships, just quick flings that were over as soon as they started. With his own kind. But, he didn’t want a quick anything with Michelle, he wanted forever.
His prim little mate waited patiently for him to slide his purchase across the wooden surface between them. She reached for the book and his hand purposefully settled over hers. In the weeks he’d come in, it was the first time he’d purchased anything. The first time he’d touched her. He stared at her face, ignoring the tiny currents racing up his arm. Her startled, bespectacled blue gaze darted to his, and she pulled her hand away. Fuck yeah. She felt it, too.
The scent of her lust drifted up his nose, and he almost dragged her over the counter right then and there to sink his teeth in her shoulder. His control teetered on a dangerously fine line in her company.
Michelle blinked away her confusion and nodded toward the book under his hand. “Find something you like?”
More than you could ever know. He moved his hand and she picked up the book. “Yeah, I’ve been waiting on that one for a while,” he lied. “Can’t get enough of that author.”
Jace couldn’t give a rat’s ass about the book. It was just an excuse to linger in her store. Slow, his pack kept telling him, go slow with her. Well, he had, damn it. Since his shy little mate appeared skittish, he’d come in, browsed the shelves of her store twice a week, making friendly conversation, forming an easy friendship, and biding his time until he had her in his bed and life permanently. But, the time for waiting was over.
Recently, he’d caught another scent when he ran on her property.
Hunters.
The bastards had been sniffing around his pack’s borders and camping on Michelle’s land. No doubt without her knowledge. That gave Jace all the more reason to speed up their odd courtship. Her protection was at stake, and he’d be damned if he left his mate in danger. She was his future.
Michelle’s head popped up, humor sparkling in her pretty eyes. She held up his purchase. “I love the abs on this one.”
He gawked at the semi-naked male torso covering the matte-finished paperback he’d snatched from the shelves without looking.
What. The. Fuck.
***
Michelle bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing out loud at the shock written on Jace’s face, though it came as no surprise to her. The hot specimen of male virility that she’d lusted over since he’d sauntered through the double doors of her bookstore was gay.
She winked in an attempt to ease his visible distress. “It’s really a great read. Good choice.”
“It’s not for me,” he choked out.
Bless his little baby heart. “Sure.” She moved to the register and rang up the romance novel.
“Seriously, it’s for my sister, Kate.” His downcast, grimacing face tugged at her sympathy.
Michelle had discovered the surprising revelation of his sexuality a month ago on one of her nature walks through the wooded property behind the house she’d inherited from her Aunt Cecelia. She’d stumbled upon him there. With another man. Both in various states of undress. Then his equally hot friend had chucked his damned pants. She hadn’t stuck around to witness any man dangle action. Instead, she’d gotten the hell out of Dodge before she could technically be arrested as a voyeur.
Discovering Jace’s sexual orientation had somewhat depressed her. An entire week after she’d seen him in the forest, she hadn’t been able to meet his gaze out of embarrassment. To learn something so intimate and personal about him without his knowledge, it shamed her to feel the way she did about him. She’d foolishly imagined he’d made the twenty minute drive over from Los Lobos each week to her store in Collins, South Dakota because he might’ve been interested in her. At last, she’d found the man of her dreams, and he turned out to be gay.
She’d shrugged off her disappointment. It wasn’t his fault, and she wasn’t about to lose the only friend she’d made since moving here. But that hadn’t stopped her from lusting after the hottest guy on this plane of existence. The fact he was gay hadn’t affected her late night fantasies one iota.
Michelle deposited his money in the register and slid the drawer closed with a soft click. She placed his book in one of her pretty paper bags with the polka dots and set it on the counter in front of him. “Hope your sister enjoys your purchase, Jace.”
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. His lips curved with a sensual smile she’d be sure to dream about tonight. “What are you doing Friday night?”
“Let me think.” Michelle scrunched her nose and tapped her chin with her finger. Then she snapped her fingers. “Oh, that’s right. Not a thing.”
He released a deep, throaty laugh that did funny things to her insides. Shit, she had to get laid soon. She could practically feel her damn eggs dropping. If she didn’t watch it, she’d tackle her sexy, gay friend without a tad of remorse. She repressed a shiver and waited for him to continue.