The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 171: Chapter 171

The weather had cleared up, and it was beginning to look a lot like summer in the woods surrounding the cabin.
Finally.
The sky was a bright and brilliant blue and the sun a big, buttery ball in the sky. Its light shone through the beautiful window wall, painting everything with its golden hues. Outside, the woods held a variety of trees that lent themselves to a million different shades of green. It was like gazing at a living work of art.
The shades ranged from the palest lime of the young vines creeping up the shed behind the cabin to the deeper green of the needles covering the tall evergreens. Birds whistled gaily. The tiny scurrying sounds of forest mice, squirrels, and chipmunks running their morning errands were distant though chipper.
She couldn’t blame them for wanting to go out into the world. It was a beautiful day, and Toni was in a fantastic mood. Seeing Pierce jump out a window, shifting to his beautiful beast just to save her, however unnecessarily, was really just an awesome way to start the day.
When was the last time a man had dared do something like that for her? Besides him. Just yesterday, in fact.
Hot, sexy, protective man.
Toni was used to taking care of herself. She was entirely capable, too, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t nice to have someone give a crap. So far, this little vacation plan of Uncle Uzzi’s was entirely worth it. Hell, she hadn’t even thought about work since yesterday.
Of course, now that she did, she walked over to her dresser and grabbed her cell phone. Typically, she would have dozens of work related messages waiting for her. Now, there were only a few. Sighing, she swiped her finger across the screen and opened the messenger app.
Adrianna
Yo, sis, how’s it going? Did you get any (insert eggplant emoji)?
Toni rolled her eyes and saw her other sisters had been added to the chat. The last time they did this, the Golden girls had gotten up to all sorts of snarky hijinks. She bit her lip, not wanting to share anything just yet.
Annabeth
Yeah. We want some deets! Did Uncle Uzzi deliver or what?
Ariella
You guys, don’t be rude. Toni, you don’t have to tell us anything. But since there is a sister code and all, I feel you would be breaking it if you did not confide something…
Adrianna
Yeah. So, like I asked already, did you get any D I C K? (insert eggplant emoji)
Toni snorted a laugh. Her sisters were incorrigible. True, they did tell each other everything, but this was still so new. Oh yeah, she got picked up a lot. Shifters being total horn-dogs, that was to be expected. But after Stefan, she’d steered clear of any and all males.
So, Toni was not exactly batting a thousand when it came to men, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to reveal anything yet. What if she jinxed it? Tapping her fingernails on her thigh, she decided to give them something. This was still so new, she needed to tread carefully, or they would home in on her like heat-seeking missiles.
Antonetta
Heyyyyy. Okay, so I am not ready to spill any deets, but yes, Uncle Uzzi delivered. Pierce McDowd is a total hottie and sweetheart.
Adrianna
OMG. You’re in love!
Annabeth
Don’t be ridiculous. It’s been five minutes since she met him.
Ariella
Excuse me, sis, but how long after you met Hank were you in love?
Annabeth
Eat my fur, Ari! Oooh, but really, how is my baby niece doing?
Adrianna
Could be a nephew, AB. You know Wolves tend to sire male cubs. So we might be looking at a puppy.
Ariella
Do not call my unborn child a puppy! Besides, Dire Wolves call them cubs, too.
Antonetta
OMG. You girls never shut up. Okay. I’m going. He has a surprise for me.
Adrianna
Hey Toni, you know, you didn’t even ask about work. I guess he really is special, huh? Good for you.
Toni gasped. Adrianna was right. She hadn’t even thought about work in the past twenty-four hours. Grinning like mad, she closed the chat for now and went to shower and dress.
When she finished, she saw Pierce busily packing them a picnic lunch. He’d said he had a surprise for Toni, and the only hint he gave her was to wear a bathing suit, but she wanted to contribute. So, she made a bag with a blanket and towels, some sunscreen, and a wireless speaker so they could listen to music.
She was thinking there must be some sort of creek or something within walking distance, but when she went outside to meet him, she stopped short. Hunky Pierce was wearing a pair of shorts that stopped a good three inches above his knee, revealing thick, muscular thighs, and he was attaching the picnic basket and a small cooler to the back of some sort of tricked out golf cart.
“What the heck is that?” she asked, trying hard not to stare at him like he was meat.
Why? We like meat. Yummy, her lioness supplied unhelpfully.
“Hey, pretty girl.”
Pierce greeted her with a lopsided grin on his oh-so-handsome face, as he walked the motorized death trap closer to her. Despite being a Lioness, Toni was not exactly a sporty kind of girl.
She might try hiking, sure, walking and even swimming every once in a while. But the truth was, she preferred things like movies and music, books especially to being outdoors.
Gah. What if she messed this up? Shifters were usually sporty and up for anything, but not Toni. She was a cautious kitty.
“Seriously, um, what is that?”
“This? Haven’t you ever been on an ATV?”
“Um, no, not really,” she murmured, worrying her lower lip.
The seats were side by side, but there were no doors, no roof. What the heck was she supposed to hold on to? As if he could read her mind, Pierce stood up and gestured her over. It moved her that he would stop what he was doing and take the time to explain it to her.
Toni was in no way lacking in the comprehension department. She was plenty smart, if inexperienced at certain things. Still, it was a rare thing in her world for a man to notice when she was uncomfortable. Not just that, but to care enough to set her at ease. Like he was studying every expression, and he was paying attention to them, well, to her.
I am noticing you, too, Pierce McDowd.
“Ah, well, no worries if this is your first time. I promise to be gentle,” he said with a wink.
God, he was sexy. It was like flirting with the star quarterback when she was in high school. And wouldn’t you know it? Toni giggled like a damn schoolgirl.
Get a grip. Be cool.
That was old Toni talking, though. This Toni, the one she discovered in the last day, did not want to be cool at all. She wanted to be playful and giddy, to experience the feelings she was actually feeling. She did not want to hide beneath a smooth façade. Toni wanted to be real with him.
And wasn’t that saying something? Since when did she want to show anyone the wizard behind the curtain? Most of the time, she was closed off, tight-lipped. But not with him. The sexy Tiger was breaking down all her walls.
He was melting the ice around her heart. Chiseling away at all her barriers. Pierce was like pure sunshine. This constant, primal source of power, energy, and heat. Ooh, she liked his heat. She wanted to bask in it with him.
No more ice queen. He was defrosting her with his fire. Smexy as all get Tiger Shifter with his crooked grin, honest words, and killer abs. He was the whole package, and she was completely intrigued by him. Toni was a curious kitty by nature, and he was just so multi-faceted.
Everything he said and did was a surprise. She kept waiting for the reveal. For his true colors to show. Man who looked like that, well, he must be egotistical or conceited, but no. Not Pierce. He was sweet and kind, and that panty-melting smile of his made her want to do deliciously dirty things with him.
Yes, please.
“You went quiet,” he observed. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. I’m good. Um, tell me about this death trap,” she said, and he barked a laugh.
“Okay, well, this baby here is an all-terrain vehicle, and, as you can see, there are two seats, plenty of room for the picnic basket, cooler, and bag, and look, seat belts,” he said with an air of confidence she truly admired.
“So, you can drive this thing, is what you’re telling me?” she hedged.
“You betcha. Come on, hop in.”
Toni bit her lip as she circled the mini death trap. Truth was, she didn’t do much hopping. Her tendency to over analyze situations like this lent itself to very little spontaneity in her life.
Fine, she was being a wuss. As a Lioness, she could totally admit that to herself. But there was no way she was letting the striped behemoth of a male watch her wimp out.
“If you want, we can do something else,” he said kindly, offering her an out without being a dick about it.
How did the man manage to be so smooth, sexy, and sweet, too? Toni was going to need a mini fan, like one of those things with the water bottle attached they sold at theme parks, or something like it, to cool herself off if he kept this up.
“Toni? Wanna skip this?” he asked, concern marring his brow.
Uh uh. No way. It was time to put on her big girl panties.
“No way, besides this looks safe enough, and you did mention seat belts,” she said, more for her benefit than his.
“I wouldn’t put you in this thing if it wasn’t safe, pretty girl. Scout’s honor.”
Pierce saluted her, giving her that sexy lopsided grin of his. She smiled back, unable to help herself. He was definitely one of the good ones. Those mystery males other women talked about, and two of her own sisters had managed to nab.
“You say that, and yet,” she murmured, wincing at her own cowardice.
“Would I lie?” he asked, eyebrows raised.
“No, I don’t think you would,” she murmured, and his gaze softened as he looked down at her.
Oh yeah, Pierce was good. Kind. Sexy. Patient. Irresistible. And those were just some of the words she was starting to associate with him. Lions and Tigers didn’t really play together in the wild. But in the Shifter world, they played nicely, or so Toni was learning.
She circled the tiny vehicle again. No doors. Ugh. That meant she would have to heft her fluffy ass up and onto the seat. Oh boy. Guess she would be embarrassing herself, after all.
“Do you trust me?” Pierce said, suddenly right behind her.
Toni startled, gasping, and holding a hand over the pounding in her chest. She turned her head, her pulse running wild. Her heart was doing its best to beat right out of her chest, and the damn male seemed to know it.
Pierce’s aqua eyes glittered down at her and this close, she saw specks of emerald weaving through them. His cheeks held a smattering of shadow, and he looked rough and masculine, and oh, so tempting.
Dangerously sexy.
“Yes, I do,” she replied, shocked she actually meant it.
Pierce’s chest rumbled with his growl, and she realized he liked her reply. Like it meant something to him to have her trust. Warmth filled her, reflecting the heat in his unwavering gaze. Never had a man met her eyes so steadily, and she had to admire him for that.
The Golden sisters had reputations for being maneaters. But that was all just rumor and innuendo. But Toni had clung to that rep, using it like armor to push men away. Especially after her ex. That guy had done a number on her, and for the first time, she saw why.
Stefan was a manipulator. A liar and a cheat. A no good, mean, rude, and self-centered person.
Pierce was his polar opposite. He was a nurturer. A giver, not a taker. He was a builder, literally.
He builds people up just as easily as he builds cabins, she thought with a grin.
Pierce just gave and gave and gave. He didn’t push. Uncle Uzzi had sure found the right guy for her, and thanking her lucky stars, Toni realized she actually felt happy right here and now.
Mine, her Lioness purred, and Toni breathed a little easier.