The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 195: Chapter 195

Megan could not believe her bad luck.
After what was the most surprising, and sinfully delicious, sexual experience of her life, Megan came back to her apartment not expecting to hear from Cole until the next day at least when she was supposed to go to the garage to give him and some of the pack her custom design work. She had a few small pieces she’d painted, and an entire portfolio of photos of projects she’d finished.
Truth was, Megan was bad at this part. Well, technically, she was bad at most parts involving relationships. Not that she was in a relationship with Cole. Her Tiger snapped her jaws, the animal not okay with how she left his place.
Oh fuck, she was in trouble. Her she-Cat had a tendency to get clingy, and Megan needed to set some boundaries before the animal did something stupid. Like accidentally bond to the hulking male.
Too late.
Something inside her was already pulsing and buzzing at the mere thought of him, which was probably why she hadn’t heard the noise coming from the fire escape until it was almost too late. She made as if she was heading to the bathroom, but ducked back inside, using her feline stealth to hide her.
Someone was definitely trying to break in. Ha ha. Well, they sure picked the wrong dang apartment! Megan picked up the closest thing next to her, a lamp as it were, and smashed it into the would be burglar’s head!
“Take that—ohmygah!” she screeched when she recognized the naked, tattooed, ridiculously sexy giant bleeding on her floor.
Fast forward to fifteen minutes later…
“Are you sure he’ll be okay? I mean, he’s been unconscious for like twelve minutes,” Megan said.
Her heart was pounding, and worry had her biting her lip till it bled. What if she did permanent damage?
“Oh yes, my dear. You got him good, but he has a hard head, no? A little boost to his healing should do the trick.”
Uncle Uzzi grinned and waved his fingers with blue sparks shooting from the tips over Cole’s still form where he’d landed after she hit him. She’d swept up the glass and made sure none was beneath his head, but there was no way she could have moved him. Plus, head injury and all.
Megan was strong, but she couldn’t lift the way heavier than he looked Dire Wolf off her bedroom floor, despite her great strength. Still, she’d covered him with a blanket before she called Uncle Uzzi in a panic. She didn’t want him to feel any more vulnerable than necessary, and this way, he kept his dignity. But still, she felt just awful.
“May I ask what was he doing climbing in your window in the buff, as it were?”
“Um, I don’t, I don’t really know,” she replied, wringing her hands as she looked on.
“Did everything go well last night?” Uzzi inquired.
“Not exactly,” Megan replied. She had no choice but to tell him the truth.
“You see, Cole told me he didn’t exactly volunteer to go on a date with me. I mean, he was sweet and honest about it, and we talked for a long time. Even had dinner. Then this morning, my power was turned off by mistake, and it was cold, so he took me out to breakfast. We spent the afternoon at the Dire Wolf MC garage⁠—”
“Ah, and you told him of your work?”
“Yes, I did.”
“And after that?” Uncle Uzzi probed.
“Um, after that, we uh, spent, um, more time together,” she mumbled, her cheeks burning.
“I see. Which is why you smelled of Wolf when you opened the door,” Uncle Uzzi concluded, raising one eyebrow. “But how did you end up here, and why did he follow you home? Was there an argument, perhaps?”
“What? No. We didn’t argue. He took a shower, and I left his apartment. I know it was cowardly, but I really wasn’t up for another round of ‘friendship is all I have to offer,’ Uncle Uzzi. Sleeping with Cole was impulsive and reckless, but leaving after was just self-preservation,” she whispered. “Still, I didn’t mean to hurt him! He just surprised me.”
“I’ll recover from the blow, lily,” a growly voice said from below, and Megan looked down to see Cole’s gray eyes blinking up at her.
“Wunderbar! There he is,” Uncle Uzzi said, offering the downed Wolf a hand.
“Tea is in order, children. Meet me in the kitchen in ten minutes,” Uncle Uzzi instructed, leaving Megan to face the man she’d boned, then brained in the same afternoon.
Damn. Damn. DAMN.
If only she wasn’t so awkward at these things. She bit her lip and offered him a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.
“Here, I, uh, I mean, they’re just regular sweatpants and a plain Hanes t-shirt. I don’t have men’s underwear,” she mumbled.
“Thanks, lily. These are fine. You got me good, huh?” he asked with a lopsided grin that made her heart pound like a runaway freight train.
“I am so sorry, Cole. I heard something on the window and thought maybe you were a burglar or crazy person, I had no idea it was you! I mean, I already smelled like you, so I didn’t think you were there until I was already moving towards you with the lamp and I just⁠—”
“Hey, hey, hey, easy,” he said, grabbing her hand and tugging her onto his lap.
“I really am sorry,” she whispered.
Her hands moved right to his shoulders to steady herself. The way he pulled her onto his lap had taken her unawares. Megan wasn’t the kind of girl boys did that to. She was just too tall. It would have been awkward with anyone else. But Cole was built like a giant. She felt safe on his lap, like she belonged there.
Dangerous boy.
“It’s okay. You just caught me by surprise. But it’s all good, now. I got a hard head. I’m fine, really,” he said, smiling at her like she hadn’t just knocked his lights out.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Uncle Uzzi did some magic to speed up your healing, but maybe there’s some sort of after effect?”
“Nah. It’s perfect. Everything is perfect now,” he grumbled and pulled her in for a hug.
She froze, not knowing what to do. But the warmth emanating from his hard, muscled body, and the relief she felt that he was sitting up and talking had her hugging him back just as tight. It was so hard leaving him earlier, but Megan hadn’t known what else to do.
“Why’d you disappear?” he whispered, tucking her hair behind her ears, and moving back so he could look into her eyes.
“I. um, I got scared. I get attached easy, and well, you just want to be friends.”
“I said that, didn’t I?” he whispered, head leaning down, nose brushing against hers.
Megan’s eyelids dropped to half mast as she swayed closer, dying for another taste of his lips. The man had the most intoxicating kiss of anyone she’d ever known. A whisper of a growl escaped his lips, and she echoed the sound, purring for him like he liked. This kiss wasn’t rushed or needy. It was a meeting of mouths, a mingling of feelings.
Need. Welcome. Happiness. Relief. Desire.
Cole was stoking the flames of her passion. Building long, lasting fires of mutual yearning and unsatisfied cravings. Slowly, with aching tenderness, he traced her features with impossibly soft fingers. Cupping her cheeks and neck, he angled her head where he wanted, bringing her to her knees as he stroked his tongue in and out of her mouth.
“Children? Tea is ready!” Uncle Uzzi called from the other room.
“Better not keep him waiting,” Cole whispered, ending their kiss with a loud smack that echoed inside her brain.
She nodded her head, using his hand to steady her as he she stood up. Cole followed, sliding his legs into the sweats she’d loaned him. She was staring at him as he dressed, and cocky man that he was, he grinned, wagging his eyebrows up and down.
“You keep looking at me like that, tiger lily, and we will never make it out of this room.
She blushed and turned around hastily, making her way to where the older Witch was singing some foreign song and pouring tea into saucers.
“Sugar or honey, my dear?”
“Just lemon,” she said, refusing to look at Cole when he walked into the room.
He sat down next to her, placing his large hand on her thigh. She raised her eyes then, surprised he would be so bold as to touch her like that in company. The white-haired Witch looked highly amused as he waved his hand, revealing a covered plate of frosted cookies and brownies.
“Where did those come from?” Megan asked, her tone full of wonder.
“My housekeeper, Richard, always sends me out with extra goodies. Now, here we go. Cole, sugar, honey, or lemon?”
“Black, please. Thank you, Uncle Uzzi.”
The small kitchen was ripe with tension, though Megan realized it was mostly hers. What could she do? This was an impossible situation. She’d replied to a message from the matchmaker early that morning, explaining she would still require his services since Cole did not want a mate. But that was before breakfast, the garage, and their little afternoon shenanigans. Now, she wasn’t sure where she stood or what was going on.
Liar. Liar.
Her she-Tiger chuffed, the beast watching Cole through Megan’s eyes. Coveting him more and more by the minute.
Fine.
Megan knew when she was in over her head, and boy, was she sinking fast. Her silly heart had gotten attached to a Wolf who’d told her he was not ready or willing to do anything more than sleep with a woman.
“Okay, good. Let’s begin. I understand from Megan you do not want to find a mate, is that so, Mr. Mingan?”
“That was so, Uncle Uzzi,” Cole began just as Megan took a sip of her hot tea, “but I’ve since changed my mind. I do want a mate.”
What?
Megan could not have heard him right. She choked, barely resisting the urge to spit her tea right on the table. Cole looked at her with concern, one large hand on her back. He grabbed a napkin with the other, handing it to her and asking if she was okay.
“What do you mean, you changed your mind?”
“I changed my mind, lily. Meeting you has completely changed everything,” he said, his gray eyes glowing with his Wolf.
“No, no, you are mistaking sex for something else. Uh uh,” she grumbled and stood up, bringing her cup to the sink.
“Megan, dear, maybe listen to what he has to say?”
“I don’t think so, Uncle Uzzi. Cole talked for hours yesterday, and I know all about the last woman he was serious with. He had his heart broken a long time ago, and he doesn’t have anything left to give. That’s what he said. That is what you said,” she snapped.
What was happening? Why was she reacting this way? Megan could hardly be sure, but her Tiger was scratching at her, the beast furious at her human side for talking to her mate this way.
But no. He wasn’t her mate. Not really. Right? Damn it.
“I know what I said, lily, but I was stupid and rash. What happened with Carly shook me, but it was ten years ago⁠—”
“I don’t want a shell of a man. I want someone whole who can love me despite everything that’s wrong with me⁠—”
“There is nothing wrong with you! Listen to me, I am the one who fucked this all up from the start. I freaked out. I didn’t like being put on the spot. But we both know magic exists, and you went to a magical matchmaker to find your mate, lily. You went to Uncle Uzzi to find me. There is no one else who is meant for you, I can guaran-fucking-tee that,” Cole said.
“Hang on. So, Megan, you are saying what, Cole is not what you want?” Uncle Uzzi asked.
Her chest was heaving as she tried to rein in her emotions, but that was impossible. She was confused. Cole was everything she ever wanted in a mate. He was handsome, kind, funny, smart, and they both liked a lot of the same things. He kissed like a god, fucked like the devil, and made her feel like a queen when they were in bed. But out of bed, well, she was mixed up and unsure.
“I see. Perhaps some time apart is needed,” Uncle Uzzi said, and Megan gasped,
She hadn’t even realized she’d said all that out loud. Her chest squeezed and her Tiger rumbled. She smelled like fur and hurt.
“No, please, lily. I don’t want to be away from you. I’m sorry. I should have taken things slower with you, but I will make it up to you. I will earn your trust. Give me a chance, please,” Cole begged.