Tarnished Read online

  “Will they have stuff planned for guys my age?”

  Dan swatted Jerrod on the head from the back seat of the cab. “Nope, you’ll just have to find a woman and start kissing.”

  Drake glared at his brother in the rearview mirror. “Stop it, Dan.” He turned to Jerrod. “Of course. You’ll have plenty of activities with the middle school kids. It’ll be a lot more entertaining than last time when you were with the babies.” He grinned at himself, knowing Jerrod thought of himself as all grown up now that he’d hit double digits.

  “I hope so,” he grumbled. “I don’t want to do no kissin’.”

  “And Dan and Scott won’t be doing any kissing either if they know what’s good for them.” He shut off the engine and turned around. “Girls don’t like to be pressured. And you guys know that. Act your age. You’re grown men, for Christ’s sake.”

  The four brothers piled out of the truck and headed for the entrance with hundreds of other wolf shifters from all over the country. The venue was perfect. Smack in the middle of the country, it was easy to get to from just about anywhere, and the family that owned the land had been gracious enough to host the gathering for twenty years. The property was far enough outside the city of Tulsa to not attract too much attention. And the Albertsons had enough outbuildings to accommodate all the seminars and sessions.

  The older members of the wolf-shifting world united to discuss wolf politics and the future of their existence. Drake’s parents had most likely arrived before eight in the morning so they wouldn’t miss anything. The younger members mostly socialized. The twenty-somethings were the most eager to attend in the hopes of finding the perfect mate and claiming a wife or husband.

  Scott pushed through the front door of the main conference room, and Drake let his other two brothers enter first. Let the fun begin.

  As soon as they checked in, Jerrod raced off with two other boys his age, shouting over his shoulder that he’d meet back up with Drake at dinner. What the hell did I come for?

  Dan and Scott scurried off to the main singles hall with Drake on their heels, in no particular hurry to race to that finish line. He had no hope of finding a mate at this event. Nor did he care.

  In fact, he sauntered forward without watching where he was going, thus crashing into someone as he rounded a corner in the crowded hall. “So sorry,” he muttered. “Wasn’t watching where I was going—” Oh my God. It’s her. Drake gulped.

  The woman nodded, her head bowed, and kept right on walking. In retrospect, she’d also not been watching where she was going, and she looked as though she was about as excited to be there as he was. Her arms were crossed under her chest. She wore blue jeans and a long sweater that covered her ass as she continued down the hall away from him.

  Drake stood frozen to the spot. Why wasn’t she with the man from two years ago? He took a long whiff of her lingering scent. She wasn’t mated at all.

  She disappeared in the crowd, never glancing back. Her hair was longer. Glorious brown curls that reached way down her back. He swallowed again and itched to run his hands through the locks, pull her head back, and get a good look at her face. His memory was vivid, but he’d been quite a ways from her last time he’d seen her. He remembered her smile, the one she clearly didn’t wear on her face today.

  Why did she seem so sad? Was he making this up? Not really. Her distress was in the air, filling his nostrils and mixing with her personal scent. Something floral, probably her shampoo, combined with her pheromones to make him groan inwardly. He stepped forward and then halted. What’cha gonna do, big guy?

  •

  Kenzie shivered, clear to the bone. It was him. The guy from last time she’d spotted across the room just before jerkface had grabbed her arm and led her unceremoniously from the meeting hall. What would have happened if she’d not been so naïve that night? She’d known she wasn’t attracted to … Mark? Marvin? Marcus? Yeah, that was it. Marcus. The bastard.

  He’d seemed certain, so she’d naïvely given him a chance. As soon as he had her alone in the hall, he’d smashed his mouth to hers without a word. His lips had been rough. Disgusting. Putrid. And as soon as she’d broken free of his clutch, she’d headed for the ladies room and sat in a stall until she was sure he had given up.

  She’d not told anyone about the incident. What if they blamed her? Had she encouraged him in some way? She didn’t think so, but she still had no interest in rehashing the event. Ever.

  Kenzie wrapped her arms around her middle and followed on her family’s heels. Her sisters were eager to get to the main hall—more of a meat market, as far as Kenzie was concerned. A butcher zone she had high hopes of avoiding. First of all, she had no wish to repeat last gathering’s farce of an evening. And second of all, she had a boyfriend. A nice one. One she could count on. A chill went down her spine as she thought about what both her sisters had insinuated this morning. They had to be wrong. No way was she dating a gay man and didn’t know it.

  As though conjured with her thoughts, her cell vibrated in the back pocket of her jeans. When she pulled it out and saw a text from Darrell, she smiled.

  “I need to talk to you. Do you have a minute?”

  Her face fell. What did he need? He’d said he was spending the evening with his family.

  Kenzie ducked out a side door and stepped into the midday sunshine. Good. No one was in the area. She sat down on the concrete beside the entrance and leaned against the siding. It wasn’t comfortable, but it was private.

  She pushed a few buttons on her phone and waited for Darrell to answer. Her body shook as though she were cold, even though she had on too many clothes for the warm day.

  “Kenz?”

  “Yeah, what’s up?” She gave her best casual voice a try, hearing a squeak leak out anyway on the last syllable.

  “Um, Mackenzie, I wasn’t quite truthful with you earlier. I’m trying to balls up and be honest.”

  “Oh, okay.” Not okay. Not okay. Not okay.

  “I’m not who you think I am.”

  Yes, you are. Please tell me this is a bad nightmare, and you are exactly who I think you are. She couldn’t breathe. She gripped the phone so tight it was a wonder the case didn’t break.

  “I’m so sorry. I tried. I really did. I wanted to be who you needed me to be. I did … but I’m not. And it’s not fair to you or to me to keep dragging this out.”

  What are you rambling about? Spit it out. Make it complete. Don’t make me say it for you. She swallowed, her mouth so dry she could barely pull her lips apart.

  “Kenz? You still there?”

  “Yeah,” she muttered.

  “I met someone.”

  What? Met someone? Yeah, you met me. Months ago. We’re a couple.

  “I mean, I sorta knew this would happen eventually, but I just … lied to myself.”

  “What? Knew what would happen?” Why did she have to go and ask a stupid question like that?

  “The person I met is, well … it’s a man.”

  Fuck. Why was she always the last to know these things? What the hell was wrong with her own gaydar? Kenzie tucked her head between her legs. That’s what people did to keep from hyperventilating, right?

  “Kenz?”

  She couldn’t open her lips.

  “You still there? I’m so sorry. I really am. It’s not you—”

  “Stop,” she croaked. “Don’t even give me the ‘it’s-not-you-it’s-me’ speech. Spare me that much, okay?”

  He sighed. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I really am.”

  “I know. It’s okay.” It’s not. But I’ll survive.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For not yelling at me. Or whatever. This is really hard for me. I haven’t even told my parents yet. I figured I owed it to tell you first and … just thank you for not going crazy. That’s all.”

  “I guess I sorta knew it.”

  “You did?” His voice rose.

  “Well, not specifi
cally, but I should have.” She lifted her gaze and squinted into the sun. Shit. Damn.

  “I’m gonna go. Can we talk again later?” He sounded so hopeful. Desperate.

  “Sure.” Not a chance in hell.

  “Thanks again, Kenz. You’re the best. Some guy is going to be very lucky to get you.” He clicked off, leaving her holding the phone to her ear while praying the last few minutes had been a joke. April fools.

  What the hell had happened today? She’d woken up this morning with the world in her palm, and it had slowly turned out to be made of sand, which was now slipping between her fingers until soon not a grain would be left. Would her boss call and fire her in a minute?

  She tried to catch her breath. Great. Now she had to go back inside and play nice to make her mother happy. No way was she going to fess up anytime soon about Darrell. The last thing she needed was gloating sisters.

  Suddenly the door opened, making her flinch. She tipped her head up and covered her eyes against the bright sun. Her private reverie had ended. A man stepped outside.

  Christ. Not just any man. It was him. The guy.

  He stepped around her and sat on her other side, his back skimming down the side of the building as he landed.

  They sat in silence for a minute.

  Kenzie froze, staring at the ground between her legs. What the hell was going on?

  “I saw you slither out the side door,” he finally said.

  “I didn’t slither,” she refuted.

  He chuckled. “Snuck. Slinked. Slithered. What would you call it?” He turned his head her way and smiled.

  She sucked in a breath and held it. She’d only seen him twice now. Once two years ago from across the room and then again about ten minutes ago in the hall. Both times she’d been on the move. Neither time had done her memory justice.

  He was so gorgeous. Dark blond hair with natural highlights. Deep blue eyes that stared directly into hers. And his smile lit up his face. He was mocking her. But not in a menacing way. Just … teasing.

  “Yeah. Any of those words pretty much sums it up, I guess.” She looked back down. Holy shit. She couldn’t hold his stare another second. He sucked the air out of the day.

  “Hiding from someone?”

  Yeah, you. And the rest of the world. “I had to take a call.”

  “And it wasn’t pleasant.” He didn’t ask. He knew.

  “Not only do I have to eat crow when I next see my sisters, but my boyfriend is gay, and I didn’t know it.” Why am I telling a stranger all this?

  He started laughing, a low, deep sound that spread to her and made her smile. It was contagious. “That is bad.” He crossed his legs and situated himself better. “I mean, his loss.” He paused. His voice grew much more serious on the next muttered words. “My gain.”

  She didn’t move. Kept looking at the ground. Her head spun. What the hell was happening, and why did she get the feeling her life was about to take a sharp veer to the right … or the left?

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh.”

  “It’s okay. If it weren’t my fucked up life, I’d be laughing too.”

  “So, where is this guy? I didn’t see you with anyone when I ran you down in the hall a while ago.”

  He knew. Of course he’d known it was her. And then he’d followed her. Now, why did that make her cheeks flame? Two minutes ago she’d had the perfect boyfriend. On a dime, she was all aflutter about some stranger without a name.

  Except she knew better. He was a wolf. She was a wolf also. She’d always heard this was how it would happen, but she’d never paid attention to anything anyone said about mating.

  And she needed to distance herself now before she made a fool of herself. If she didn’t start slobbering, she would soon stick her foot in her mouth as she swooned like a gangly teenager. She’d never even felt faint when she was a teenager, and she wasn’t about to start now.

  She scooted a few inches closer to the door. It was all the space she had before she’d get smashed if someone opened it.

  Subtle, Kenz. So smooth. “He’s with his family, I guess … or his new boyfriend.” She shivered just saying the word. She was no prude. It didn’t really matter to her whether he’d found another woman or a man. She still had the same predicament. No boyfriend.

  “Why isn’t he here? At the gathering?”

  She turned her face toward him. Oh. Realization dawned. “He’s human.”

  “Ahh, I see.” He paused. “Do I make you nervous?”

  She followed his gaze as he glanced down her body. She’d scooted even farther and crossed her arms over her chest. Her body language screamed stay away from me. She knew it. That was her goal.

  “I suppose.” Oh, hell. Who was she kidding? “Yes.”

  “I don’t mean to.”

  “It’s not you…” Fuck. Had she not just cringed minutes ago over the same line coming from Darrell?

  “So, it’s you?” He chuckled again. “I make you nervous, and it’s your fault?”

  She smiled and looked back up at him. “Yes.”

  Geez. He could melt chocolate with his gaze. She squirmed under his intense scrutiny as he seemed to memorize her face. His scent snaked around her, encompassing her, permeating everything until she knew she’d never be able to escape it or forget it. A tingly sensation raised the hairs on her skin. Her pulse sped rapidly and her sex throbbed.

  “I don’t bite,” he teased.

  The last wolf did.

  His face fell. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “For whatever happened in your past to put that look in your eyes. I promise I’ll never do whatever it was. I’m a nice guy. I swear.” His brows furrowed.

  She’d have to give him credit; he was sincere. She almost believed him.

  “I’m Drake, by the way.” He held out a hand.

  “Mackenzie.” She tentatively took his hand and immediately regretted the action. Yep, she was in trouble. Even though they were both sitting on the ground, barely moving, they shocked each other on contact. And the residual wave of electricity shot up her arm and down her body, which now hummed with awareness. She released him and rubbed her palms on her knees.

  “Nice to meet you, Mackenzie. So, what happened to the other guy?”

  She narrowed her gaze at him. “Kenzie. My friends call me Kenzie. What other guy?”

  “The one you left with two years ago. Thought he’d staked his claim. He looked intent.”

  Wow, he missed nothing.

  “Oh, he was mistaken.” She pursed her lips. “The asshole.”

  Drake’s smile broadened. “Again, his loss. My gain. I’m batting a thousand today. I figured you two had run off into the sunset together.”

  “Hardly. More like into the hall where I proceeded to bite his tongue, literally, when he shoved it in my mouth.” She cringed at the memory. “He was a pig.”

  “Wow.” Drake scooted a few inches away from her, dramatically. “I’ll keep that in mind. Duly noted.” His voice was teasing, again. “Do you bite all men who kiss you, or just the assholes?”

  Mackenzie swallowed the lump in her throat. “I don’t know,” she muttered. What the fuck is the matter with me? Did I drink a truth serum?

  Drake’s mouth fell open, but he didn’t speak. He turned kind of pale. Good, at least she got the shock value out of her comment. If she was going to be honest, she deserved some sort of reward.

  When he finally closed his mouth and swallowed, she watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down. His muscular neck spread to his enormous shoulders, also ripped. He wore only a T-shirt, nothing fancy, but the thin material left little to the imagination.

  Finally, he spoke again, softer this time. “Also duly noted.” He reached for her hand and clasped it where it lay on her knee. “I won’t take that information for granted.”

  His palm was warm and rough. He had the calluses of a man who worked hard. She wanted him to run that palm up her arm and touch more of her skin
. Was she in some kind of trance?

  “I’m not…” Not what? Not interested? She was many things, but a liar she had never been. “I wasn’t planning on…”

  “It’s okay. I wasn’t planning on… And I’m not… Either.” He grinned. His teeth were so white and perfect. She could smell his breath. Minty. If he kissed her, he wouldn’t reek like that Marcus jackass had. She stared at his lips, mesmerized. Soft. Inviting.

  She licked her own lips.

  “Stop that,” he muttered. He lifted her hand to his face and rubbed the back of her fingers against his cheek. The rough beginning of a shadow scraped over her knuckles and made her shiver. She wanted to turn her hand over and feel his face, his neck, his chest.

  “Stop what?” Was she being coy? What the hell had happened to the Mackenzie Davis who had gotten out of bed this morning?

  •

  He shook his head and tucked his legs under him to stand. Pulling her up alongside him, he mumbled, “You’re going to be the death of me.”

  Fuck me. I mean, fuck me hard. Holy shit.

  In his wildest dreams, he never could have conjured up any images of today going like this. This woman was his. He could deny it. He could walk away. But, holy hell, no way was he going to do that.

  She was skittish. Shit. She was more than skittish. She was unkissed! Except for the bastard who’d dragged her out of the room two years ago and played unfortunate tonsil hockey with her.

  He needed to get her back inside. Not that he wanted to share her. Hell, what he’d rather do was drag her to his truck and drive across the state line as fast as possible. But she wasn’t that kind of girl. And he respected that. He would go slowly. It would kill him, but it would be worth it.

  Never, ever would he want her to feel pressured. She was a treasure. A gem. He was sure of it.

  “Hungry?”

  She looked at him quizzically. “I guess.”

  “Let’s get something to eat. We can head to the dining hall and grab a table. It’ll be better than this gravel under our butts.” He held her hand tighter than he intended. It wasn’t as though she could dodge him and run away. Although he wasn’t taking that chance… He just didn’t want to lose the connection.