Chosen (5 page)

T
he engine
of Parker’s truck becomes silent as he clicks it off. He turns to me and says, “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

I reach out and place my palm on his chest. The cotton of his sweatshirt is thick, but it doesn’t block the heat of him. He takes my hand and tugs me gently. I reach for the back of his head to thread my fingers though his hair as he meets me in a kiss. The gentle touch of his lips is sweet, but I want more, and this time I’m the one that gets rough. I nip at his lower lip and break away to kiss my way down his neck. His salty flavor is tempting, and I imagine what his cock might taste like. The thought of putting it in my mouth scares me as much as it turns me on.

I move up to his ear and whisper, “I can’t wait to see you naked.” It’s a bold thing for me to do, but the reaction I get is worth it.

Parker growls and takes my face in his hands. “You’re killing me.” He lowers his mouth to lave my neck, and I throw my head back to enjoy the pleasure as it races through my veins. His hands lower to my shoulders, and he continues down my arms to my waist. I flinch at him touching my flabby belly.

He whispers, “Don’t.” Parker takes my hand and places it over the erection in his jeans. “Does that feel like I don’t find all of you sexy?”

His cock is big enough that I wonder if I’d be able to wrap my fingers around it, and while I should take my hand away, I don’t. I press on him, and he groans. So I rub his crotch as his tongue licks the bit of cleavage visible at the top of my shirt.

My chest heaves with my panting, and my nipples ache for his touch as they press against the fabric of my bra. Parker stops to gaze into my eyes as he places his hands just below my breasts. His finger strokes the underside of one. “Tell me to stop, and I will.”

I shake my head, and he smiles as he cups my breasts over my shirt. He says, “I need a taste.”

I reach up, and the button of my shirt slips through my fingers as my shaky hand tries to undo it. Parker takes over, and he reaches in and lifts my breast out of my bra as his mouth descends on me. I moan when his tongue flicks over my taut peak. I grasp his head, and Parker’s hair is silky in my fingers as I quiver.

He kisses his way back up to my mouth, and before he gets there, he whispers, “We’re going to be so good together. Say you know it too, baby girl.”

I speak against his lips. “Yes. God, yes.”

He drowns me with his kiss, and when he breaks away, I’m crazy with need. I grab at the waistband of his jeans, eager to see his cock. But Parker stops me. “We can’t do this here.”

I shove myself away and against the car door, because I’m afraid I’m about to climb on him and force him to comply. “I’m sorry.”

He chuckles and says, “Don’t be. But our first time isn’t going to be in my truck, where anyone could come by and discover what we’re doing.” He waggles his eyebrows at me. “We already gave one of your neighbors quite the show.”

I close my eyes. “Oh, God.”

I open them up again to Parker’s intense gaze. “I’ll be here at six tomorrow night.”

“See you then.” I push open the door and jump out before Parker has a chance to walk me. I want him so badly that I might not be able to keep myself from crawling up his body.

When I get in the house, I shut the door, and it’s hard against my back as I lean on it with a silly grin on my face. My mother looks up from her keyboard. “I know that look. Did some boy just kiss you?”

No. It was a man, and we did more than kiss.
“Yes. And I invited him to dinner tomorrow night.”

My mom unfolds her legs and stands up. She walks slowly toward me and asks, “Would this boy also be a werewolf?”

“Yes. It’s Parker Hoyt.”

The muscles in Mom’s jaw tighten, and she speaks evenly. “You’re dating Parker Hoyt?”

“He’s not like what I thought. He’s kind and”—I sigh—“he can really kiss.”

“I don’t want you dating him.”

My smile fades. “I don’t think you get to tell me that.”

“Trixie.” Mom huffs. “He’s a player. He’s been with hundreds of women. Why would you even consider a date with him?”

I reach out to touch her arm. “Did any of your research tell you about true mates?”

Mom’s eyes get big, and she asks, “Parker is your true mate?”

I nod.

“Oh my God. No.” She grabs my shoulders, and her grip is strong enough to bruise. “Oh sweetie, this is the last thing I ever wanted for you.” She releases me and turns to pace. “We’ll move. We can go to Europe, or maybe someplace warm like Mexico or—”

“Mom, stop.” She turns to look at me, and I think I see fear in her eyes. I say, “I’m not going anywhere. Parker and I are meant to be together.”

She shakes her head. “This is crazy.”

“Maybe it isn’t, Mom. You write about things like this every day. Did you ever stop to think that maybe it can happen?”

“But honey, he’s so—” She shakes her head, and I notice her eyes shine with moisture.

I walk over and pull her into a hug. The bones in her arms feel fragile in my embrace, and I say, “Give him a chance. I think he’ll surprise you the way he did me.”

Mom pulls away, and her cool fingers stroke my cheek. “I’d do anything for you, sweetie. I’ll try to keep an open mind.”

“Great. And can I ask you one more thing?”

“Sure.”

“Will you make your curried shrimp dish?”

She attempts a smile. “He must be special if I’m making him your favorite meal.”

I reach up and touch my bruised lips as the memory of Parker’s kiss invades my mind. “He is.”

I
’m so nervous
, I alternate between having to pee and twisting hair around my finger so tightly that the tip turns purple. Silverware is cold in my hand as I straighten it on the table. The white linen tablecloth is simply adorned with a vase of irises and yellow candles. I lift one of our good crystal goblets to the light and check for spots.

My anxiety isn’t about Parker. The true mate thing means I’ll never have to worry about his love for me. What I’m worried about is my mother. In my heart, I know I’ll end up with Parker no matter what happens, but it would be nice if Mom went along with the plan.

“Shit!” The lid to the sauté pan clatters in the sink as my mother tosses it. I think she might be uneasy about tonight too.

I ask, “Want some help?”

“No. I’m just being stupid. I forgot the cover was hot.”

The aroma of garlic and curry makes my mouth water, and I say, “Dinner smells wonderful. I can’t wait to eat it.”

Mom turns to me with a smile. “Then come taste.” She grabs a fork and stabs a shrimp for me. After I bite it, she waits for me to swallow with her eyebrows raised in question.

“Delicious.”

“Good. I hope your boyfriend likes it.” She sucks in her lower lip like when she’s afraid I’m not going to like her story.

Huh. I thought she was dreading this. “Are you worried he won’t like you?”

She shrugs. “I can’t help it. He’s famous, and I want to impress him for you.”

She stirs the sauce, and I wrap my arms around her from behind. “You seem to be forgetting you’re famous too. And look how normal you are.”

Mom snorts. “I think they call me eccentric.”

“Good point. But Parker is probably the most apprehensive. All he knows is that we live in a trailer park, and I bet he thinks he’s going to get hot dogs and beans.”

A light rapping on the door sounds, and my mother says, “Hush. Don’t be elitist.” The grin on her face tells me she finds that funny too, and I walk over to let Parker in.

I open up to the man that makes me hungry for more than dinner. He’s in suit slacks and a crisp white dress shirt that emphasizes his broad shoulders and narrow waist. “Hi.”

Parker holds a bouquet of daisies and a bottle of wine. He takes in my appearance. I wore a fitted dress that shows off my thinner but still ample curves, and his wink tells me he approves. “Hi.”

I step back to let him in. My mom comes toward us, and I say, “Parker, this is my mother, Caroline Quinn.”

He hands her the flowers and wine. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Quinn.”

“Thank you. How lovely. You didn’t have to bring anything, Parker.” She glances at the label on the bottle, and then she smiles at him. “But I’m glad you did. I’ll enjoy this.”

“I hope so. And if you do, I have more in my collection.”

My mom turns from him to walk to the kitchen and says, “Would you get the wine out of the fridge please, Trixie? And pour yourself some too.” My mom has let me drink a glass with dinner since I was sixteen.

Parker says, “Something smells delicious.”

“Mom’s making my favorite, curried shrimp.”

The rushing noise of Mom filling a vase with water makes her speak loudly. “I’m told werewolves will eat anything, so I assumed you’d like it.”

Parker grins as he steps next to me to hold a goblet for me to pour. He says, “I’m sure there are some picky ones, but I appreciate almost all food.” His eyes scan the room to notice the details.

The vase of daisies thumps on the table, and Mom moves the irises to the small island in the kitchen. She says, “Parker, take a seat. Dinner is ready.”

I put the wine bottle down near the candles and move to the junk drawer for matches. Parker says, “Your home is beautiful.”

Mom sets a steaming bowl in front of him. She grins as I light the candles and asks, “Not what you expected?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Seems more than one thing here isn’t as it appears.” She sits down with her meal. “Let’s cut to the chase. You’re my daughter’s true mate, and that means you’re about to take her away from me forever. Correct?”

I glance at Parker to see his reaction to her attack. He doesn’t appear to be fazed. “Not quite. Yes, she’s my true mate, and we’ll be together forever. But I would never take her away from you.”

“But she tells me she’s now part of a pack. Isn’t that a bit like a commune?” Nobody has taken a bite of food, but I’m hungry, so I spoon up rice with coconut sauce and put it in my mouth as if I’m watching a television show.

“No. We’re like a large family, but everyone lives in their own homes and interacts with their extended family in the usual way.”

“So Trixie can continue living with me.”

I gulp down my mouthful of food, because I want to focus on Parker’s answer. We haven’t talked about where our relationship is going.

“As long as she wants.”

Mom looks at me. “Trixie? What’s your plan?”

Oh boy.
A plan?
“I can’t deny that I want to be with Parker. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. But I don’t think I know him well enough to go get married tomorrow.”

Parker reaches over and takes my hand. “I thought we’d try this the usual way. Dates, engagement, and then marriage.”

I flip our hands up and thread my fingers through his and gaze into his eyes as he smiles at me. “I like that plan.”

A knife clashes against a plate as my mother cuts her shrimp. She lifts a bite to her mouth as she says, “I can live with that.”

As if a random storm cloud blew over, the tension is suddenly gone. Parker digs into his dinner as relief relaxes my shoulders. I reach my foot over to nudge his leg in a thank-you, because he handled that beautifully.

Parker continues to be the perfect guest by answering my mother’s questions about his life in the NFL and promising to give her insight into the players for any upcoming books. He even graciously takes one of her romance novels she offers and promises to read it. If that’s not dedication to me, then I don’t know what is.

He seals the deal when he rolls up his sleeves and insists she finish her wine while he cleans with my assistance. The cabinet in the china hutch clicks shut as I put the last wine glass away. Parker places his hand at the small of my back and asks, “Ms. Quinn, would you mind if I took Trixie out for ice cream? We could bring something back to you.”

“I don’t mind at all. And if you bring me mint chocolate chip, you can call me Caroline.”

Parker grins. “Will do.”

I get a sweater from my room, and when I return to the living room, Mom says, “I don’t expect to eat that ice cream tonight. Don’t forget to lock up when you get in.”

I kiss her on the cheek and whisper, “Thanks.”

Once we’re outside, Parker takes my hand. “I think she likes me.”

“Me too. Thanks for being so charming.”

The metal of Parker’s truck is cold on my back as I lean against it and tug on his shirt. He pulls me against his body and leans down close. “It was easy. I like your mom.” He brushes his lips over mine. “And I love you.”

Oh my God!
Our kiss is becoming familiar, and when he releases me I know it’s true. “I love you too.”

M
y seat belt
clicks into place, and I say, “I want to see you as a wolf. Will you shift for me?”

The engine roars to life when Parker turns the key. His smile is sly when he says, “I’ll have to get naked first. Think you can handle that?”

I offer a coy smile of my own. “I can try.”

“Okay. Let’s get the ice cream for your mom and then go to my place.”

A tiny shiver runs through me as I imagine what I’m about to witness. I’m not sure if it’s for naked Parker or his wolf, but my insides tremble at both visions. I squirm a little in my seat, wishing I could relieve some of my sexual wanting.

I say, “Tell me about mating season.”

We bounce over potholes as we approach the small takeout ice cream shop on the way to Silver Lake. “It happens every spring and is an extremely fertile time for females. Chances are good if we have sex you’ll get pregnant.”

“Oh. I’m not sure if I’m ready for that.”

“Me either.” He places his hand on my thigh. “But you’ve got to be dying of need. I’m rather impressed by your self-control. I’m told most women can’t function around their mate if they’re not sexually satisfied.”

Considering I’m ready to rip his clothes off, I’m pretty impressed with me too. I put my hand over his. For someone that was used to having women fall all over him, he’s being awfully sweet about this. But I don’t want to wait to have sex with him, although I’m too shy to say anything. I sigh.

“What’s the matter?”

“Controlling my urges with you isn’t that easy.”

Parker’s hand moves up my leg a little higher. “There’s a lot I can do about that.”

“There is?”

He chuckles as he pulls into the ice cream shop parking lot. “Seems I might be showing you more than my wolf tonight.”

The bright lights shine in the window, making his eyes glow, and I smile at him.
“I can’t wait.”

T
he truck wheels
crunch over gravel as we head down a dirt drive to Parker’s house. Most of the Winter Valley Pack lives on Silver Lake, and it explains why kids are told to never come here at night. Just like my mate, the house is big. As we walk through the doorway, I realize it’s higher than usual and guess the house was custom built for him. I’m sure of it when we get to the kitchen and notice the counter is about mid-chest for me.

“I feel tiny in this house.”

“Yeah. Sorry about that. When I had it built, I wasn’t sure I’d find my true mate.” Frosty air blasts out of the freezer as he puts my mom’s ice cream in it. When the door shuts, he grabs my hand and pulls me with him into a large living room. “Lucky for you, I have more money than sense, and we can redo things to suit your tastes.”

Parker bends down to find a remote on a coffee table, and a small whoosh sounds as a gas fireplace lights up. He says, “Have a seat and enjoy the show.”

I lower myself to a plush suede couch and get sucked into the cushions. I watch as he unbuttons his shirt slowly and lick my lips when the most cut torso I’ve ever seen appears. I grab the garment from the air as he tosses it to me and says, “I’m not getting much encouragement.”

I grin at him as I reach in my pocket and pull out a dollar bill. “Perhaps this will help?” I wave my money in the air.

He smiles as he saunters toward me, and I gulp when he steps in front of me, placing his washboard stomach by my face. His intoxicating scent makes me woozy with lust. Judging by his bulge, he’s turned on too. He asks, “Help me with my pants?”

The metal of his belt buckle is warm with his body heat and clashes when I undo it. I trace the light line of hair that is below his navel, and his belly trembles at my touch. I continue on to slide my hand beneath the waistband to unfasten his pants. I gasp when unzipping him reveals he’s commando.

I’ve never seen a penis so readily displayed, and I stroke it with a finger. “Wow.”

Parker takes my hand and wraps it around his erection. He helps me grip tightly and shows me how he wants me to pump him. He sighs. “Your touch is amazing.”

A drop of liquid forms on the top of his mushroom-like head, and I wonder what it would taste like. I have never given anyone a blowjob, nor have I wanted to until now. Parker stops me and steps back. “We’re getting distracted. I’m supposed to be showing you my wolf.”

I place my hand on my heaving chest. “Right. So sorry.”

He lifts my chin with a finger, and his cock is so close to my mouth, I could easily lean forward an inch or two to swipe my tongue over him. I gaze up into those emerald-green eyes as he says, “We have the rest of our lives to try everything that you can imagine, baby girl.”

He steps backward, and odd noises come from his body as I watch the transformation. The floor shakes when he thuds down to all fours, and I discover I’m holding my breath as a large black wolf appears.

When he approaches, adrenaline surges through me, and I’m back in the woods the night I was bitten. My heart is pounding its way out of my chest, and I can’t get away fast enough. I scramble over the back of the couch and curl up in a ball as if I can hide.

The wolf’s nails click as he slowly comes toward me, and I take long, deep breaths to calm myself. Parker lowers himself to sit before me, and I gaze into the eyes that remind me of his human form.

My hand shakes as I extend it. I wait for his reaction, and when Parker continues to be still, I manage to touch him. His fur is soft when I lay my hand on his back, and he lets out a sigh of contentment. I continue to pet him.
He’s not going to hurt me.
“You’re incredible.”

My mate presses against my hand, and I stroke him. I dig my fingers in and let the sensation travel up my arm, as if he’s sending a secret message to my dormant beast within. Something inside me wants to get closer, and I suspect it’s my wolf trying to escape. I close my eyes and lower my head over his as both my hands move over his coat.

A low noise rumbles in the back of my throat, and it resembles a growl. A swirling dizziness makes my head swim, and the thud I heard earlier sounds again.
“What the—”
My nails scratch at the hardwood floor as I attempt to gain purchase. When I open my eyes, I’m staring at Parker’s wolf chest. I glance down.
“Oh shit!”
I’m a wolf.