Island Stripe Pride - Chapter 50: Chapter 50

“You ready for tonight, boss?” Bradley asked and a buzz of excitement seemed to radiate from the young Mongoose.
“Uh, yeah, I think so,” Carter said, grinning back at him.
He was going to miss the lodge, working on this retreat had been more complex and challenging than he’d thought when he was first assigned to the project. The Neta had not been kidding when he said the Island Pride Mountain Resort was an important part of their community.
The lodge had provided a safe haven for the Tiger Shifters and other predatory groups in the tri-state area for as long as Carter could remember. He agreed with his Neta. It was long passed time they’d opened their doors to welcome others in the area. Predators and prey might be enemies in the human world, but it did not have to be that way in their world.
The Shifter Council of NYC had made great strides towards unifying supernatural groups, and Dean Romero as its temporary head, was creating a ripple effect that would, no doubt, rock the entire paranormal world. Carter supported him 100%.
Surprisingly, he’d enjoyed the challenge of organizing the weekend's events. It would all begin tonight with an informal dinner that would open in the main dining area from five o’clock through eleven, as each group would be arriving at scattered times.
Registration for the event would be handled by the concierge and each participant would receive an envelope with keys, a schedule of events, and tickets to the black-tie gala the following night. There were several meetings and conferences lead by various group Alphas, leaders, and a surprise speaker, a rare Sigma Wolf from the Macconwood Pack would also be presenting.
Fuck yeah, Carter was excited. After Saturday’s barbecue lunch, a friendly round of games, including a mini triathlon were planned. Physical beings needed outlets, and a little healthy competition was good for everyone. As long as it did not get out of hand, but he already had precautions in place. The Island Stripe Enforcers led by Trench Tora were on their way.
They were the same Tigers Carter worked with every day back in the city. They would be acting as extra security for the gathering. After the fun and games, a gala would be held, and the event would be finished by Sunday. Hopefully, new alliances would be forged, friendships made, and the future would look a tad bit brighter for all of them. That was the plan, anyway.
Looking out over the window, he exhaled and took in the changing leaves that covered the rolling hills and the sound of birds flying overhead. It was beautiful there, and yeah, he was going to miss it.
Fuck that. He was going to miss her.
Carter had spent the last few days nearly losing himself in the warmth and vitality that was Toni Casabella. He’d forgotten nothing about the first woman he had ever loved. His memory of the past and how it had ended clashed with what he saw in her face ever since he’d walked into her restaurant.
The Cottontail Shifter could not hide her emotions from him, and he was glad of it. Nothing made a man more tense than wondering if the woman he was interested in shared that interest.
Toni wanted him. He knew it, and it was like a balm to his bruised soul. The question was, could he deal with the fall out after? Could he walk away a second time unscathed?
Mine, hissed his inner Cat, and he closed his eyes, allowing the growl that filled his chest to expel from his lips.
“You alright?” Bradley asked, looking up from his tablet.
“Yeah, fine,” he replied.
“Okay, I’m going to check on everyone in front. You will be notified of the arrivals as they check in through the new software you had us install.”
“Draco Fortis and Graves Enterprises teamed up to create Shield Wall Systems and it is probably the best advanced tech we’ve had in a long time. Humans use it, but it’s specifically magicked for supernatural communities,” Carter commented.
“It’s already making things smoother for us. Um, by the way, the chef is here,” Bradley added casually.
“Right. Thank you,” Carter said, dismissing him.
Of course, she was there. His inner beast had been aware the second she’d arrived. He’d also seen her pull into the lot with the catering van. She had Gary with her, as Mara would be manning the diner.
The lodge offered meals, of course, but they’d always outsourced events of this size. The cooks on staff simply could not handle catering a gathering of this magnitude, but they would be there to help with Toni in charge, of course.
It was an amazing transformation, he thought with a grin, when he’d seen her enter the kitchen. She’d gone from easy going cutie, to hard-assed professional in under a second. Not that it wasn’t warranted.
After shopping for the event, they’d spent a day getting the kitchens ready to cook. Shooting out orders in kitchen lingo of which Carter could hardly discern the meaning, Toni had left everyone in no doubt who was in charge. She’d whipped the lodge’s kitchen staff into shape in under a half hour, making sure they had all hands on deck.
He had to admit, he’d been impressed. She’d changed from that teenager who’d duck her head and bite her lip whenever she was met with something difficult. This Toni was strong and levelheaded, and she could cook her ass off. He had no doubts about her ability to pull this off.
The only thing he was concerned with was himself. He’d managed to stop things with just a few passionate kisses, careful not to allow himself to be fully alone with her. Carter wanted her.
Fuck, did he want her. More than that, ever since seeing her again his Tiger had insisted the cute little Bunny was his. To Shifters, that was huge. Fated mates were rare and precious, meant to be cherished and protected. But his feelings were so much more than that.
Yes, he wanted to cherish her, but he also wanted to devour her. Her curvy little body drove him bananas and being near her was simply whetting his appetite. Carter was a big man, a big Tiger, and she was so small.
He wasn’t a kid anymore, and those first few moments of intimacy he’d shared, fumbling for sure, with her were the best in his memory. But Carter was a man now, not a boy, and the things he wanted from her shocked even him.
So many coulda woulda shouldas filled his head, but Carter shook them off. There was too much to do to worry about his love life. Even if the only thing he really wanted to do was her.
“Guess I better stop hiding in here,” he whispered and headed out the door of the manager’s office to the kitchens. To her.
He could scent her sweet strawberry essence dancing on the air, calling to his Cat as he hunted her down to the large, walk-in pantry. Fuck, she looked good decked out in hot pink chef’s pants with kissy lips all over them and a clean white coat on top.
List in hand, she was giving orders to no less than five of her underlings, including Gary, who’d spied Carter with a frown. The young Buck was damned lucky Carter was secure in his manhood or he’d tear the fucker’s throat out for eyeballing him. He knew he was crushing on Toni, what young male could resist her? Her long, platinum braid was coiled around her head like a Viking princess, giving her an air of regality. Those sweet curves of hers had filled out more since her youth, and fuck, he was dying to touch and explore every inch of her rounded body that was still evident through her baggy chef’s uniform. But best of all was her take control, no nonsense attitude. The way she gave orders and left no room for doubt about who was in charge made his mouth water and his dick hard.
And that was just him watching her. Carter could hardly stand it. He waited one beat, then a second for her to dismiss the others before turning to him. Eyes faintly possessive as they met hers, Carter let his gaze boldly graze over her perfect little body.
The slight catch in her breath reached his ears, tempting his beast into action. Carter crossed the few steps until he was standing right in front of her, and Toni leaned back to keep eye contact.
Grrrrrr.
He did not speak. They were beyond words, he reasoned. Without touching her anywhere else, he pressed his lips to hers. Eyes opened, Carter kissed her, plundering her mouth like a pirate. Using his teeth, tongue, and lips, he took over the kiss and held her gaze until she closed her eyes, brows furrowing at the aching tenderness he felt blossom between them.
“Toni,” he breathed, kissing her again, more gently this time, before stepping back.
“Wh-why did you do that?” she asked in a low voice.
“Didn’t you like it?” he asked, cocking his head to the side as he watched her chest rise and fall with the strength of her breathing.
He was feeling pretty fucking proud of himself for throwing her off balance. It was only fair seeing as how he could hardly stand straight himself.
“Yes, I like it, Carter, but⁠—”
“No buts, Toni. Look, I want you and you want me. We have three days before I go back to the city, and I’d really like to spend them with you,” he admitted.
“But the gathering?”
“We’ll be working together closely throughout, but after, I want you to come home with me. Will you?”
“I, uh,” she hedged, looking down, and his confidence did a nosedive.
If he weren’t a Shifter, he would be worried. But the arousal wafting off of her was sweet as it was stirring. There was no denying their attraction. Yes, she’d denied him once, but they were adults now and could handle a little no strings sex, couldn’t they?
“Well?” he asked amid his growing impatience.
“Alright, Carter,” she said, and he wanted to roar in victory. “I’ll go home with you tonight.”
“Not just tonight,” he corrected. “But for the whole weekend.”
“Yes,” she said, her blue eyes impossibly big as they blinked up at him slowly. “For the weekend.”
Carter growled and dropped a hard kiss on her lips before turning away. The little Cottontail might not realize it, but he was already making plans. Plans that might just involve more time than a little weekend.
More like forever, his Tiger growled. The beast stood, focused on his target, inside of Carter’s mind’s eye. All Shifters had a connection to their dual natured selves inside a metaphysical plane where one aspect of his being waited for and conversed with the other.
It was all part of the magic that had begun with the first Shifters, way back when the universe had whispered, and the gods had first dreamed them into existence. It was then that their Shifter souls were created in pairs, only to be separated so they would meet again by Fate’s design.
Carter returned to his duties, content that tonight he would have Toni in his bed. He was a man of few words, but he could show her with his body what she meant to him. Maybe then, they could finally have the future they were meant to. All his life he’d waited to meet someone who could eclipse what he’d thought was a childhood crush, but he never had.
After returning to Verona Falls, it was clear why. Toni was his fated mate, and Carter was in for the fight of his life to claim the sweet and curvy Cottontail before she could walk out on him again. This time, he was playing for keeps and he wasn’t giving up his little Bunny for nothing.