The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 53: Chapter 53

That reminded him, he didn’t know her name. Warning bells started going off, this was the Nari’s friend, but even that thought did not stop his cock from growing harder. Hell, the second he’d touched her, he was a goner.
Reg’s Tiger pressed under his skin, growling and scratching, agitated beyond reason. Awareness made his breathing come hard and fast, and desire coursed through his body. He scented her reciprocal arousal and Reg’s blood roared in his ears.
Mate.
Oh fuck.
Mine.
Slow down.
No.
She was it. She was the one. His one. Reg’s true and fated mate.
Holy fucking shit.
“Uh, hi, I’m Gretchen. You can, um, put me down now,” the woman said.
She smiled tightly, and raised her eyebrows expectantly, but there was no fucking way he was letting her go.
Mine, growled his beast, but Reg remained silent.
“Um, yeah. Okay, buddy. Thanks for the rescue, but it can’t be easy holding me like this, so, you can just put me down, yeah? Like now.”
Eyes narrowed, the tiny female pushed against his chest as if she could possibly move him. He was grinning like an idiot, but he couldn’t help it. He was so damned happy.
A mate! Whooopeeee!
“Dude, what the heck?”
Shit.
He realized belatedly that she was trying to get away. Reg loosened his hold as sanity slowly came back to him. What the fucking fuck had just happened?
“Are you hard of hearing? Put me down.”
“Sorry.” He cleared his throat to try to get the Tiger out of his voice, while letting her slide to the ground.
“I didn’t expect to meet you. I guess, I’m shocked is all.”
“What are you talking about? Who else did you expect to meet in my salon? Who are you?” Gretchen asked.
“Well, I mean, I came to get a haircut⁠—”
“Okay, great,” she said, pushing herself out of his arms.
Reg frowned. He missed the feel of her already and was about to step closer when he saw her expression. Shit. She was not loving this.
Okay, he could back off. For now. But fuck, she was warm and soft, like a living dream. One he could hold close and keep safe forever in his embrace.
Fuck, he sounded like an idiot even to himself.
She was talking again, and he tried to focus on her instead of his own insecurities, and his randy Tiger urging him to claim her right there.
“Congratulations! You’re my very first walk-in client here at Cut It Out,” she announced proudly.
“Excellent,” he grinned, following as she proceeded to walk in front of him with the cutest little sway to her hips he’d ever seen.
His Tiger peeked out from his gaze, and it was all he could do to wrestle the beast back down. Reg was simply struck by this woman on a level he’d never experienced. Could it be the universe had answered his most fervent wish? Had his mate finally been revealed?
Anticipation was climbing as he waited to see just what the sexy little female would say or do next. He already knew he would do anything for her. She was astounding, exceptional, purrfect for him in every way.
His gaze roamed over her ample curves, and he drooled. Fucking drooled just thinking of how good it was going to feel sliding along her soft creamy skin. Reg was a big Tiger, a big man, and he paused for a second to ponder whether she could take him.
Fuck yeah, she could.
The Fates would not have set them up otherwise. It would be tight though, and hot, so fucking hot. His dick hardened uncomfortably in his jeans, and he had to bite his tongue to stop the growl spilling from his lips. If little Miss Hotness didn’t stop that sexy little switch in her walk, they were both going to find out just how well they fit together.
Grrrrrr.
It wasn’t just her amazing heart-shaped ass that had him staring like a love-struck teen. It was the whole package. From this vantage point, he could take it all in with his unblinking predator’s gaze.
Shoulders, hips, heels.
Even the way she landed on her feet with each step was adorable. It added a subtle bounce to her perfect ass he found irresistible. Reg wanted to ask her a million questions. They rushed forward, on the tip of his tongue, but he needed to tread carefully.
He did not want to rush her. Not at all. For now, he would simply enjoy the view. Her gaze seemed to take in every angle of the store as they left the closet and headed to the main area.
It was nice, as far as he could tell, but what did he know about salons? He’d never even been in one. Reg liked the colors and the fact it was clean and aesthetically pleasing. But what he really enjoyed was her pride and confidence as she led the way to a salon chair.
Gretchen smirked as she opened a new smock and shook it out while he sat down in the seat. That sassy little grin and her spunky attitude making her even more appealing.
Simply gorgeous, he thought with a purr stuck somewhere deep in his throat.
“Here we go,” she said, draping the cloth over his body, and fuck, did he love her nearness.
She swallowed, not loudly, but he was a Tiger with supernaturally enhanced hearing. The sweet scent of flowers tickled his nose and Reg barely restrained himself from stealing a kiss.
She would not have welcomed it just then. He could tell that much about her already. Would she slap him? He wondered, weighing the pros and cons. A kiss would be worth the slap, but he didn’t want to frighten her or turn her off by moving too quickly.
The female called to his Tiger in a way no other woman ever had. He needed her like he needed to take his next breath. There wasn’t a thing about the woman he wasn’t attracted to.
She wore ballerina flats on her tiny little feet, and if he wasn’t mistaken, she had some kind of flower tattooed there. It was only just visible on the side of her left foot.
A fan of ink himself, he wondered what other secrets she had hidden beneath her clothes. Reg licked his lips as his eyes kept going back to her thick, long legs and luscious backside as she walked around the chair getting this and that and whatever she needed to do the job.
Her body was gorgeous, even though she’d probably dressed for comfort versus style. Lord knows he’d never found a woman’s outfit particularly appealing, but this woman. Hell, he liked everything about her.
The tight black jeans paired with a soft gray shirt hugged her delectable curves, showcasing her sweet breasts and hips and he could just imagine her thighs parting and cradling his big body. He was a big man, Shifters generally were, and he always preferred his woman thick and soft.
She looked amazing. Totally fucking gorgeous, he thought.
Mine, his Tiger growled again. This time with a side of panting.
“I can shampoo you and get you prepped, my other stylist should be here any minute,” she repeated, blinking at him slowly.
Reg was still holding the box he’d taken from her in the closet, and she seemed to only just notice, blushing as she took it from his lap and dropped it on the table behind the reception desk.
Stylist?
What fucking stylist? He wanted her.
Shit.
He was messing this up. Reg started, confused as to why she didn’t recognize him as her mate, surely, she should have by now. Then realization dawned as she continued talking.
This was his Nari’s best friend, and she was anormal. A normal who did not know a thing about Shifters or mates or Fate.
Shit.
"Stylist?” he said, clearing his throat.
“Yes, I have two new employees coming in today. Well, everyone is new, since we are new,” she replied and giggled, a delightful sound to his ears.
The chair was right beside the reception desk, and he watched her lean over to grab an appointment calendar from the tidy desk.
“Bonnie and Marion are my first employees. I just need your name for the book,” she said, checking the date and time.
But Reg didn’t need to know her employees' names. He already knew who he wanted cutting his hair.
“My name is Reg Cray, and there’s no need to wait for them, Gretchen.”
“Oh, but they’ll only be a few minutes,” she started.
Reg shook his head, thinking how cute she looked with her brows drawing together as she looked from the calendar then back to him.
“I want you,” he said simply.