Stefan: Le Beau Brothers: New Orleans Billionaire Wolf Shifters with plus sized BBW for mates (Le Beau Series Book 3) (20 page)

Stefan’s Last Stand

Finally. She could breathe. Stefan had dropped her off and gone home. Her body ached from the tension and her head was pounding.

“El. Is that you?”
Mémé called from her room.

“Yes. I’ll be there in a minute.” First she needed Tylenol®.

“Where’s Stefan?” She took one look at El’s miserable expression and had her answer. “Oh, dear. You better sit down and tell me all about it.”

El’s shoulders slumped. “I panicked.”

“You’re going to have to elaborate,”
Mémé said over her shoulder as she collected her shotgun from the closet.

“What are you doing?” El frowned at her frail
grand-mère
loading a gun in her nightgown.

“Stefan isn’t here to protect you, so I will.”

El shook her head, but there was no arguing with her
grand-mère
.

“He surprised me by singing a love song in front of the entire bar. Then he kissed me and poured all his feelings into my heart and soul. He made me feel things I
–
can’t
–
feel. Especially now. I was so swamped by his emotions I couldn’t function and I forgot to recite my trigger words.”

“Oh, sweetheart. Not every man you fall in love with is going to do terrible things like Short Dick did. Weren’t you encouraged to give love another chance?”

“Yes. But, when he got intense and made me feel, I froze. Then I couldn’t breathe and I had to get out of there. It’s like someone who is afraid to fly or afraid of heights, you can’t just switch it off.”

“Would it help you move forward if you took it really slow? I’m sure he’d listen and understand.”

“You think so? He wouldn’t even look at me on the way home.”

“Well, did you look at him, or did you stare out the window pretending he wasn’t there?”

“I,” she paused, “might have done that.”

“Take the night to decide how you want to move forward.” Mémé gathered her into her arms. “If you talk to him and make a plan together, it will all work out.”

“Thanks, Mémé. I better say goodnight.”

“Goodnight, cher.”

After mulling it over for a few hours,
El had a plan. She would start slow, leave her heart out of it but try to become comfortable with the physical aspects of a relationship first. Once she got over that hurdle, she could try to add her heart to the situation.

Damn Chet and his frat brothers! Prior to that nightmare she had enjoyed an active, normal dating life. Since that night, she hadn’t gone on a single date, until Stefan.

It was all too much too fast. The solution in her mind was to slow it down by breaking it down, one relationship piece at a time. Men preferred sex anyway, so it made sense to start there.

Now she just needed Stefan to want to see her again.

*****

Enough was enough. He would give it his all today, and if El didn’t return his interest he would leave her alone for good. He needed to know once and for all if he was making any headway or just wasting time.

Stefan knocked on her door. After everything, he didn’t want to be anywhere near his mate, which in and of itself broke his heart. The chores were done and it was time to make the last plans with El he may ever make.

“Good morning, Stefan. Would you like coffee?”

He frowned at her behavior. She acted like last night never happened.

“No, I only have a minute. I wanted to know if you had anything special planned for tonight. I’d really like to make dinner for you at my place. I haven’t cashed in my auction winnings yet.”

“That sounds like fun, and you know what we could also do?”

“What?” He grinned hopefully.

“Make a drive-in movie theater on the outside wall of your house. All you need is a projector, DVD player and chairs. I know where I can get everything we’ll need.”

Okay, that didn’t sound like a half bad idea. He could use this as an opportunity to snuggle her up and keep her warm. “Sure, sounds great.”

That Evening

I can do this. I can have a physical relationship with Stefan if he agrees to wear a blindfold. But, no strings attached. Nada. Negatory.

Taking a deep breath, she cleared her unwelcome, wayward thoughts and raised her chin in defiance of her stupid pitter-pattering heart.

Knock it off, hearts aren’t allowed.

“This is only dinner and a movie, nothing more.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“No one, Mémé. Just talking to myself.”

“Well, if you’re finished with your conversation, give me a hug before you go.”

El gave her a tight hug. “Love you, Mémé. I’ll see you later.”

Calmly, she grabbed her purse and walked to her truck.

*****

Stefan paced in front of his living room window. El was due any minute. Dinner simmered on the stove. The red wine was breathing. All he needed was his date.

He stopped, cocked his head. That was her truck. His palms began to sweat and his heart raced. He was about to have his mate in his home. His wolf was beyond excited.

She hadn’t even had the chance to knock and he pulled open the door.

“Welcome to my home, El,” he said taking her coat.

“You have a beautiful house, Stefan.”

“I’m glad you like it. I’d love to have you spend more time here.”

She gave him a smile but inwardly she sighed. It really was a shame she couldn’t trust him or any man for that matter.

Stefan was always a gentleman, opened doors, took care of her. The problem was, the last man suckered her in the same way. Then ‘IT’ happened. No matter how many therapy sessions, she couldn’t get past her knee-jerk reaction. Maybe she could work on that with Stefan?

“Are you ready for dinner? If we’re going to get your movies started on time we should eat.”

“Yes. I’m starved. It smells wonderful, what did you make?”

“Crawfish etouffee, tossed salad, and cornbread. There’s bread pudding for dessert as well.”

“Wow. You’re going to make someone a fine wife one day,” she joked.

He looked at her sharply but didn’t laugh.

Okay, tough crowd.

He held her chair before joining her to serve the dinner and pour the wine. The small talk was going well so he pulled up his big boy pants and asked the million-dollar question.

“Would you like to tell me what happened last night?”

“I’m really sorry about that,” she said, never raising her eyes from her dinner. “I have an ugly history with men after they convince me they love me. I panicked and ran.”

“Can you tell me what happened to scare you so badly?”

“I don’t talk about it. Ever.”

“If you won’t let me love you and won’t talk about what’s bothering you, what am I supposed to do?”

“Enjoy your dinner, watch movies with me and see where it goes.”

“Fine. I’ll play along and see what happens.”

They changed the subject and slowly the thick, heavy air of the room dissipated. Once dinner was cleared, they bundled up in warm coats and headed for the outdoor theater.

As they took their seats Stefan clasped her hand and said, “I made a deal with the man in the moon and he’s going to put in some overtime tonight.”

El laughed and popped in the first movie. She suppressed a grin as ‘The Proposal’ began to play.

He shifted in his chair but remained silent. Wise man. Gradually he let loose and enjoyed the humor of the movie.

Time for number two, ‘An Affair To Remember.’ Half way through, the fidgeting and moaning began.

As the credits scrolled down the wall of the house he turned to her.
“It’s getting late. Would you like to spend the night?”

“To go to bed or to sleep?”

“I want nothing more than to make love to you all night. But, the decision is yours. I do have a guest room.”

“I was thinking about your offer the other day to use a blindfold. Did you mean it?”

“If that makes you more comfortable.”

“Then I would like to sleep with you again.”

“There’ll be very little sleeping involved, just me loving you with all my heart and body.”

She arched a brow at his response. “Stefan. I don’t think you listened to me earlier. I’m not ready to deal with love. I doubt I ever will be. This is just sex.”

He stilled. There was no acceptance. No yelling. No expression or reaction at all, just an unwavering stare. His lack of response or reaction was more unnerving than if he had railed at her.

Stefan extended his hand to help her to her feet. As she rose, his gaze traveled slowly from her feet to her eyes. His intense appraisal sent tingles skittering over her skin.

While still holding her gaze, he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and jerked her mouth to his. She was too startled to resist, and when he ran his tongue over her lips she no longer wanted to.

Grinding his body against hers, he moaned when she swept her tongue into his mouth. His whole body was on fire, and he was done.

“Goodbye, El.”

He turned and walked into the house and closed the door. Seconds later the lights went out.

She was getting what she wanted, sort of. He finally gave up and would leave her alone. So, why did it feel like a hand had reached into her chest and crushed her heart?

“Goodbye, Stefan,” she whispered.

*****

He watched with a heart remade of stone as her taillights faded into the dark and out of his life forever. Her words had struck him like a physical blow to the gut. It was still difficult to breathe.

She could go on without him, date and marry anyone she pleased. He was the only one restricted to whom he was destined to love and mate. The laws laid down by the goddess didn’t bind the human women as they did shifter males.

Sure, they each held the other half of their souls, but she wouldn’t die from refusing him. She wouldn’t be denied finding a satisfactory human male and having children.

Only he was damned to never desire another woman once he met his mate. She was free to do as she pleased. Of course, she would never desire any other man the way she desired him, but that didn’t prevent her from saying no to him.

*****

For the first time since Simon’s ball, the morning was different; he had no energy or desire to get out of bed. Last night’s rejection had finally broken him. He had admitted defeat and threw in the towel.

His mother and father would be almost as heartbroken as he and his wolf were. He would be worthless in the corporate offices with Cade and Marcus, so he stayed home. Maybe it was best if he took a long vacation, perhaps on a sunny beach in Mexico?

Punching the pillow, he rolled over. He would figure it out later. Right now he didn’t care where he went or what he did. Sleep sounded better than thinking, so he would just stay in bed.

*****

Hours later he couldn’t remain in bed any longer. He stood in his bedroom staring blindly out the window wearing only the boxer shorts he’d slept in. His chest ached so badly it was difficult to breathe.

Alone, forever, never to have his mate accept him. As a shifter, he needed El in a way that defied human comprehension. For the first time, he seriously doubted he could go on without her. But, how to end his pain permanently, a gun to the head? Overdose of pills?

If he closed his eyes, she instantly appeared. Sleep had already proven a painful proposition. She wasn’t his anymore. Hell, she never had been his.

Stefan let out a ragged breath and padded to the shower. He was a bit rank and the least he could do was suffer without the stench he was generating.

As he emerged from his room he spotted something wedged into the cushions of the couch. El’s scarf. Instinctively he clutched it in his fist, burying his nose deep in her scent. 

His entire body shuddered as newly buried emotions battered him and his heart bled out again.

Goddess, he loved her. More than he'd ever imagined a man could love a woman. And he didn't want to live without her. Couldn’t live without her.

Stefan collapsed as his knees gave in to the emotions crushing him.

Clutching the scarf, he buried his nose once more and wept. Agonized, ragged howls filled the room as tears rolled down his face and pooled on the floor. Kneeling became too much effort and he crumbled onto his side, curled into a fetal position. Racking sobs tore from his chest as he rocked blindly to comfort himself and his wolf, gripping that bit of fabric like a lifeline.

Every member of his family both heard and felt his pain. Their wolves howled in grief along with Stefan’s. Prayers from every family member were offered to the goddess, begging for her intercession. They all seriously feared for his life. Operation “Drastic Measures” had better work because it was his last hope. Only El held the power to end Stefan’s suffering.