Stefan: Le Beau Brothers: New Orleans Billionaire Wolf Shifters with plus sized BBW for mates (Le Beau Series Book 3) (8 page)

Marie ignored her and continued on like she hadn’t heard a word. “She went out with a nasty, rich kid in college and now she doesn’t date anymore.”

El’s head snapped toward her grand-mère. “
Mémé
,
it’s not his business. Please, don’t.”

Stefan gave El a good, long look. He had a little background work for Thomas and John. One way or another he would get the name of the jerk who hurt El bad enough to make her avoid men all together.

“
Mémé, do I smell your cornbread in the oven?”
She needed to change the subject...fast.

“Yes, you do. Who needs a refill?”

When
Mémé
turned away to refill her cup, El mouthed “sorry” to Stefan. Grand-mère had a filter issue sometimes and it appeared her filter was on the fritz this morning.

He reached out and took her hand in a show of support. Energy and heat shot up her arm, setting a flurry of butterflies loose in her stomach.

She quickly pulled her hand away. Headway, yes. Insanity, no. A second later
,
Mémé
walked back in. That was much too close of a call.

“Maybe Lucas can take you out to dinner one night now that he’s back. Or perhaps Stefan is the Le Beau who is interested in you now?” 

“
Mémé
,
Stefan was the one who won me at the auction. He already is taking me to dinner.”

“Yes, I am. But, I just asked her to lunch and she in turn invited me to eat here at the house today, if that’s all right with you, ma’am? Then Friday evening I was going to make her dinner at my place.”

“That’s wonderful news.” She looked at El. “Last night’s session must have really helped.” Then she glanced to Stefan, “I’ll make sure El is ready for your dinner date.” Her grand-mère leaned forward, very serious about El’s personal life. “What time will you be picking her up?” This woman was intense when it came to finding El a boyfriend.

Stefan drew his brows in. “Session?”

Before
Mémé
could respond, she said, “I appreciate the offer to cook, Stefan, but you really don’t have to go to all the trouble. Dinner at the diner is perfectly fine.”

“Nonsense, El, where are your manners?” Marie gave her a stern glare. “This handsome, eligible bachelor has offered to make you dinner. You'll go if I have to tie you up and get you ready myself.”

El’s eyebrows rose in shock at
Mémé’s declaration. Then she cracked a smile and shook her head at her Grand-mere Marie,
“All right,
Mémé
.
If it’s that important to you, I’ll go. But, only this once and then you’ll drop the subject.”

“We’ll see. I’m making no promises. You haven’t dated since that tiny dick idiot in your junior year.”

“Grand-mère!” El sighed and turned to Stefan as she tried to change the subject. “I think the gumbo and cornbread are ready, if you’re hungry.”

“Fine. So, I don't know if he had a tiny dick. But, I do know he hurt you and should pay for that.”

Laughter filled the room as Stefan helped
Mémé
from her chair. “I agree with you, and if I find this tiny-dicked ass, I’ll do just that, Marie.”

Four Days Later

Saturday night after the ball, Stefan had notified the family he’d be taking time off from the corporation to court his mate. Then he bought the first beater truck he found. He revved the engine in the old pick-up he’d purchased to impress El. The beast had some life left in it.

So, here he was, driving to El’s house for the fourth day in a row. Every day she tried to make him leave, but Marie, bless her heart, always came to his defense.

The look on her face when he stepped from the cab would be worth the five thousand dollars he paid for the wreck. He hoped the truck would set the tone for the rest of the day and produce a positive response.

Somewhere he’d heard consistency wins the day. Okay, he would consistently come by her ranch every day helping with any chores she doled out. Just being around would have to warm her up to him to some degree, and he would find ways to show her the man he truly was. Maybe get the occasional lunch date.

He took a short breather to lean on his pitchfork and gaze at his mate. The sweet tune she hummed as she worked made his wolf lie down with his tongue lolling out like a love-drunk pup.

Stefan was addicted to the private little smiles that flitted across her lips when she thought no one was watching. Chuckling softly, he shook his head. There was no way he was ever going to let his brothers know about this.

Walking to the tool closet to put his pitchfork away, a very distasteful thought flitted through his brain causing him to stumble.

What if she’s just not into me?

Not possible. No shifter in history had ever been rebuffed by their mate. Stefan sighed,
leave it to me to make history.

Every morning he woke with renewed resolve to make headway that day. Every night, he drove the twenty miles home with a hard on from hell. His palm was raw and it wasn’t from the ranch pitchforks and shovels. His determination was beginning to show chinks. Couldn’t she see he was earnest in his desire to court her? That he was offering his heart on a platter, literally? 

With the pitchfork stashed in the tool closet, he was finally headed to her front door. Soft laughter paused his steps as he reached the porch. A quick glimpse through the window told him El had a visitor. A MALE visitor. His wolf snarled, she seemed to enjoy this guy’s company a hell of a lot more than she enjoyed being with him. They sat together on the couch. Much too cozy. He lifted his hand and rapped louder than necessary on the door.

“Come on in, cher. No need to knock,” Marie called from the living room. “Let me get you a cup of coffee and you can visit for a spell.”

Marie shuffled to the next room as Stefan sat on the chair closest to El and glowered at the intruder.

Marie’s voice could be heard from the kitchen. “You should invite Stefan to go to lunch with you and Dale. I bet he’d love to join you.”

Her grand-mère returned with a twinkle in her eye. She tried to look innocent of the game she was playing with him and El, but he could both sense her humor and smell it swirling around her.

Stefan’s gaze focused on the enemy before him. Dale.

El stood on the pretense of clearing her empty cup from the end table, her embarrassment churned sour in the room and his wolf didn’t like it. She took Dale’s coffee cup and hurried to the kitchen. Once out of sight she raised her voice, “He may not want to go, Grand
-
mère.”

“Oh, nonsense, El. One look at him, and even at eighty-three I can see he’s smitten with you. Besides, having two men fawning over you at the diner sounds like a wonderful idea to me. I have fond memories of men competing for my hand.”

“Grand-mère!”

“What?” She was pretending to be innocent again. The old conniver knew exactly what she was doing.

Stefan jumped at the opportunity to protect his territory. “I’d love to,” he responded before the invitation could be taken back.

Dale raised an eyebrow at him and Stefan just stared in challenge. Stupid human, this was his mate and not a battle Dale should ever encourage if he wanted to remain upright.

El returned wearing a gorgeous shade of pink from her neck to her hairline, carrying fresh cups for her and Dale.

“El,” Dale drew out her name like a caress, “you look lovely this morning. Did you do something new with your hair?”

El stifled a giggle. She knew instantly that Dale was egging Stefan on. For one, they were best friends, and for two, Dale was as gay as the day was long. Of course, Stefan didn’t know this and Dale was having a ball yanking the other man’s chain.

“Actually, I had highlights done at the salon last week.”

“I like it, cher.” Dale practically purred. “It’s very sexy.” For added measure, he ran his palm down El’s curls suggestively.

Stefan’s fingers gripped the arms of his chair so tightly, wood cracked and his lengthened fingernails turned white. Everyone turned his way at the sound to find Stefan glaring daggers at Dale and breathing hard. The urge to snap Dale's fingers from his hand coursed through him.

“Remove your hand from the lady or lose it,” Stefan snarled.

“El, you didn’t tell me you had a new guard dog.”

El could tell Stefan was on the verge of beating Dale to a pulp. “I’m hungry. Whoever is going to lunch, let’s head out.”

Dale began to rise, but Stefan beat him to El’s side and created a formable barrier to his mate. Dale chuckled and ignored Stefan’s puffed up chest.

“I’ll drive myself, El. I have an appointment after lunch so I need to leave straight from the diner.”

“Perfect, because El is riding with me.”

Marie barked out a very unladylike laugh and El simply raised an eyebrow at her as they filed out the door.

*****

An hour later, lunch was cleared and Stefan was pleased with himself. He had strategically positioned himself between El and Dale in the half round booth. Lunch had been mostly El and Dale catching up. Apparently they knew each other quite well, too well in his opinion.

Dale finished his soda and stood. “I'd better get going. It was interesting meeting you, Stefan. Walk me out, El?” he asked.

“Okay.”

Luckily Dale’s car was right outside the window where Stefan sat, or an extra person would have walked him to the car. At any rate, if the idiot tried anything stupid like kissing El, Stefan could easily be at the car in a second. Dale must be smarter than he looked because he kept his hands and lips to himself.

Stefan drained his cup and was paying for their lunch when El returned.  “Ready to go?” he asked, offering her his hand.

“Sure,” she replied. “Thank you for lunch today.” Between
Mémé and Pamela, she had been talked into giving Stefan a chance. Her nightly phone session with the therapist was beginning to create breakthroughs. Tentatively El accepted his hand and held her breath, expecting a panic attack that didn’t come.

“You’re welcome, cher.” He was pleased beyond measure when she took his hand. That was the first time she held hands with him without him having to pay for the pleasure.

The private smile on her lips and the shy way she dropped her gaze made his heart sing. It was small, but so much better than the rejection he’d been receiving.

He led her to the passenger side of the truck and paused as he unlocked her door. With one finger he gently raised her gaze to his and leaned in.

His lips hovered over hers, warm breath fanning her face. He was dying to kiss her but she needed to want it, too.

Her tiny lean toward him gave him the answer he so desperately prayed for.

Lips brushed her cheek. What the hell? At the last second she’d turned her head. He was about to aim for her lips again when ‘Crazy Bitch’ by Buckcherry blasted from his pocket.

Damn it!

El stiffened in his arms as he rushed to stop the damning tone.

He knew who it was—his brother—Lucas. Now he had two reasons to kill his younger brother.

“Hey. You're crazy, bitch. But, you fuck so good, I'm on top of it...”

The damn thing wouldn’t stop!

“Sorry. That’s Lucas’s personal tone. He programmed it into my phone when he got home as a joke. He thinks it’s hilarious.” Stefan scrambled to explain the nightmare that was currently his life.

“What do you want?” Stefan growled into the phone as El stepped away.

Aw, hell, she has her guard up again.

“Hey, Stefan. Nice talking to you, too,” Lucas laughed. “Are you going to dinner with me later?”

“If you’re still breathing. What the hell is with that ring tone?” Stefan ended the call abruptly and raised his eyes to El. “I’m truly am sorry about that.”

“Whatever.” Dammit, she should have known better.

He ignored her comment. “I’ll get you back to the ranch. You can let me know what other projects you need me to do.”

El scowled and kept her eyes straight ahead. “You sure you don’t have a woman you need to ‘get scratches all down your back’ from?”

“No. Not anymore. Again, I apologize for that. It was immature and I’ll change it as soon as possible. You may not believe it, El, but you make me want to be a better man and I intend to prove that to you.”

“Well then, I’d say you have a mammoth challenge before you. So far, you’re failing.”

“Maybe. But, I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you, and I’m willing to rise to that challenge.” He looked into her eyes trying to convey just how serious he was.

El’s goose bumps and shivers caught his attention. He turned up the heat in the truck, which wasn’t much, and removed his jacket.

“Please lean forward for me.”

“Why?” she asked suspiciously.

“I’d like to offer you my jacket. You’re shivering, and since I’m sure you’ll refuse the suggestion to slide closer to me, I’m offering that instead.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Quietly she accepted his offer and he sensed her agitation lessen a little. “And I think we’re finished for the day at the ranch so you don’t need to hang around.”

A heavy sigh rushed from his lips. He put the truck into drive, then glanced at her. “I’ll come by in the morning and help with the chores.”

The ride back to the ranch was much too short. He and his wolf wanted nothing more than to stay with her, not to mention the ache he felt throughout his body each night when he went home. It was painful to have such a large distance between him and his mate with the ritual incomplete.

He threw the truck into park right in front of her house and ran around the front bumper to open her door. “Thanks for inviting me to lunch. I better get going though. Lucas is going to keep calling until I get home.”

He couldn’t leave without tasting her lips. With his heart racing, he pressed his lips to hers quickly before she could protest. To his surprise, she didn’t slap him. When he stepped away after one short kiss, he whispered, “You shouldn’t rush something you want to last forever.”

His wolf tore at him to stay, but he had to play this right or he would risk losing her for good.

The fierce desire and emotion felt by one mate for another made it unbearable for Stefan to even think about living without El. No matter how hard she pushed or denied him, he would keep trying. Hell, she was obliterating his ego at light speed. He prayed he would have the stamina to win her love.

Well, that was new anyway. He’d never been accused of a lack of stamina before.

Please let her take pity on me soon.

He’d get on his knees and beg the goddess to help if that was what it took to win El’s heart. He was sure she didn’t have a boyfriend, so at least he was given that small advantage. Glancing up, he saw El in the rearview mirror watching him drive away. Just that small indication that she wanted him to stay had his heart thundering.

“Damn, he tasted good.”
El touched her lips with her fingers and grinned like a schoolgirl. “I really shouldn’t have done that.”

She turned to find Dale on her front porch with his arms crossed and a crafty smile on his lips.
“Girl, he’s going to bust a vein if he catches you out dancing with me tonight.”

“He’s busy with Lucas. I doubt he’ll be anywhere near the bar. Besides, what does he have to be jealous for? I’m not his girlfriend.”

“Think again, honey. That sexy man has laid his claim for all to see. I wish he was batting for my team. Rrrrawrrrr!”

El laughed at his antics and shooed him inside.