Jealous And Freakn' (5 page)

* * * *

Mitchell stalked over to his sister’s bright and early the next morning, having prepared his speech to Javier’s brother a good part of the night. When he entered Naomi’s bright kitchen and saw her sitting, having breakfast with only her two mates, he didn’t immediately clue in that Alejandro never returned the night before. Never mind the fact he’d heard Francine’s invitation for the cat to sleep on her couch. As a good girl, he knew she’d come to her senses and send the Casanova on his way.

Addressing Javier, he said in his man of the family voice, “I need to speak to your brother about Francine.”

Naomi arched a brow. “Excuse me, but what happened to hello, how are you feeling today? Or how about the basics, like knocking? Did someone get up on the wrong side of the bed today? Because I somehow doubt Alejandro did.” Then she snickered, and her meaning filtered up to his brain, making a red haze drop over his gaze.

“You mean that little pervert actually spent the night at Francine’s?” he roared. “How you could you let him defile her? She’s your best friend.”

He no sooner spoke than a bristling Javier stood before him. “Watch your tone. The pervert you are speaking of is my brother. And Francine is the one who invited him to stay on her couch.”

“I thought she said that last night just to piss me off. You mean he actually stayed?”

“Yes. Is that a problem, Mitchell?” his sister asked, calmly buttering some toast. “After all, it’s not like you own her or anything. Francine is free to see anyone she likes. And I like Alejandro. He’s cute.” A growl sounded and she added, “Although not as cute as my mates, who apparently still need reminding after last night.”

Ethan dropped his head and blushed, Javier grinned, and Mitchell groaned. “Oh gross, Naomi. I so don’t need that kind of mental image.”

“Fine, then picture Francine and Alejandro instead. Personally, I think they’d make pretty babies and since you’re not going to give them to her, she might as well go for cute.”

“But he’s a—a—”

“What? Seducer of women? Lover with excellent technique? Good-looking bastard?” Alejandro wandered in and grinned at them all, looking entirely too smug. “Yes to all of the above. Morning, everyone. Isn’t it a glorious morning? Much as I’d like to stay and discuss how beautiful any babies Francine and I make would be, I just came to grab my saddlebags. I’m going to need some changes of clothing while I’m staying with Francine.”

“How dare you take advantage of her? You need to go to a motel or something,” Mitchell blurted.

“Why, when the accommodation I have is so…what’s the word I’m looking for? Oh yes, sumptuous.” Alejandro leered, and Mitchell’s traitorous sister giggled.

“Keep your hands off her.” He almost ground his teeth to dust so tightly did he clench his jaw.

“Why should I? She’s unclaimed, beautiful and best of all, has a wonderful mind and quick wit.”

“Are you trying to tell me you’re her mate?” Mitchell almost choked on the question as his wolf snarled in his mind, not at all enthralled with the idea of another touching Francine.

“Let me see,” Alejandro said, tapping his chin. “She makes my cat meow, which I admit is quite distracting. She makes my cock harder than a bar of steel. Oh, and I could listen to her for hours, screaming that is, as I fuck her.”

As red flags went, that one was a doozy. Mitchell dove at him as Naomi shouted, “Not in my house. Ethan, do something!”

One good swing was all he managed, and it missed, before Ethan grabbed him, pinning his arms back as Alejandro regarded him smugly until Javier cuffed him in the back of the head.

“Hey,” the seducer exclaimed.

“Stop baiting him. Mitchell, ignore my brother. He’s got no interest in Francine. He’s just trying to piss you off. It’s what he excels at.”

“I resent that,” said the dead man walking indignantly.

“But it’s true.”

“Oh, I don’t mean the pissing off part. I don’t deny it. But I’ll have you know, I am very interested in Francine. Enough, that I am going to do something I’ve never done before,” Alejandro announced. “I am taking her on a date.”

Shocked silence met his words. Javier whispered, “Oh my God. He’s serious. Naomi, you have to stop him. If he gets with Francine then that means he’ll never leave, and I’ll have to put up with him—” Javier gulped. “Almost daily.”

His sister, who’d crossed over to the enemy’s side, clapped her hands. “Ooh, that would be awesome. I’ve always thought Alejandro was the most fun of your brothers. And it means, even though Mitchell wouldn’t step up to the plate, she’ll still end up my sister-in-law.”

“Thanks, Naomi,” beamed the interloper. “Your blessing means a lot to me. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to grab my stuff and change so I can meet with up with Francine for lunch. It’s a surprise date.” Whistling, Alejandro wandered off, and Ethan released Mitchell.

Scowling, Mitchell said, “You’re not seriously going to condone this, are you?”

“Why Mitchell, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re jealous. Are you?” All three of them stared at him as they awaited his answer.

The word “Yes!” almost slipped past his lips. He bit his tongue. Growling, he turned on his heel and left without answering.
I’m not jealous, just watching out for Francine
since
no one else seems willing to.
He kept repeating that lie to himself as he grabbed a quick shower and change of clothes of his own before he jumped in his car and headed to Francine’s work, not even coming close to obeying speed limits. The location of her employment, which he’d previously not given a damn about, he pried out of his mother. His mama gave him a hard look when he asked, along with a terse, “Why?”

His reply to something he couldn’t even explain to himself? “Because.” And that was all he’d said. His mother snorted at his one word reply, but gave him the address to Francine’s work anyway and said she hoped he’d come to his senses.

Actually, Mitchell felt like he’d lost part of his mind, but he didn’t care. Only one thing drove him at this point, keeping Francine from making a colossal mistake. Not because he planned to date or claim her. She was still his honorary sister, but as her honorary older brother, it behooved him to keep her from suave kitties out to get in her pants and break her heart.

I
’m doing her a favor. She’ll thank me for it later.
It made him almost groan aloud when his mind flashed a picture of her on her knees thanking him orally.
I so need to get laid. Tonight
,
after I deal with this mess, I’ll call Jenny
,
his on-and-off-again girlfriend
.
Problem was, he couldn’t even picture the blonde woman he’d known intimately for years. Francine’s face kept superimposing itself over it. He didn’t quite understand what drove him to imagine the forbidden, what madness currently controlled him. An urge to protect Francine he understood, but the rest, the rage when thinking of her with Alejandro, the strange lust when he recalled her grown up appearance, it didn’t make sense.

The reaction of his wolf he especially found baffling because it snarled and paced in his mind, urging him to do something, but Mitchell ignored it.
I mean
,
biting Francine just to keep her from that seducer? That’s just crazy. I’ll deal with this like I always do, by ordering her away, and if that fails, my fists
getting up close and personal with that
bastard’s face.
He kind of hoped he’d have to indulge in the latter.

Bringing his car to a stop in front of the office building his mother directed him to, he angled into a metered spot. He parked and grinned, possibly a little like a maniac, when he didn’t notice a bike, which meant he beat the cat here.

But he had to hurry if he planned to get her out of there for their talk before the seducer arrived. Of course, when he saw her, sitting, looking so prim and proper at her desk, wild red hair tamed into a bun, typing away, his first thought wasn’t his prepared for-your-own-good speech. No, instead, he wondered if she’d wear that intent look while he fucked her, spread out on that desk, papers flying.

He almost slapped himself.
Wrong. So wrong. Remember, she’s like a sister. Not cute and delicious
-
looking at all.

Forcing himself to remember that, and his purpose for coming, he bore down on her, using angry thoughts to distract him from naked ones.

* * * *

It was her wolf that sensed him first, yipping in her head that she had company. Francine looked up from her desk to see a grim-faced Mitchell bearing down on her. Despite his unpleasant expression, a flutter of anticipation made her heart beat faster.

“We’re going to lunch,” he announced, not sounding at all pleased by the prospect.

“Gee, thanks for asking,” she replied dryly. “Did you turn into a caveman overnight? Or do simple manners elude you?” She couldn’t help the sarcasm even if he’d finally asked her out. For some reason, when she’d imagined their first date, he’d looked a lot happier about it.

Ruddy color rose in his cheeks. “Sorry. I’m, uh, hungry. That’s it, hungry, and I was in the area and thought I’d ask if you’d like to join me.”

Something didn’t seem right. She peered out of the window, examining the sky, and didn’t answer.

Her lack of response made him fidget. “Um, Francine, what are you doing?”

“I don’t have a direct line to hell to see if it’s frozen over so I’m looking for flying pigs.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you’ve ignored me like I had some contagious disease for the last five years and now all of a sudden, in the last twenty-four hours, you’re constantly in my face. Mind telling me what’s up?” She turned back to stare at him, trying not to grin at how uncomfortable he seemed.

“Can’t a man ask an old friend to lunch?” he grumbled, looking so adorably flustered that she wanted to jump up and kiss him silly. Then slap him for being such an ass.

“I guess,” she said, still wondering what prompted his impromptu visit. She and Alejandro hadn’t even put their plan in motion. Was it working already?
Maybe someone did report the kiss. Talk about news travel
ing quick
.

“Good, then get your purse so we can go.”

Standing, she went to the filing cabinet to grab it from the drawer where she kept it stashed. “What’s the hurry? You on your lunch break too?”

“Not exactly. I’ve actually got the week off. The office is getting repainted.” Working as a sales rep, of all things, for a human corporation specializing in heating and cooling services, Mitchell made a decent living even if his choice of careers seemed odd. “Can you move a little faster? Please.”

Biting her lip, Francine fought not to laugh at this frantic Mitchell who’d gone out of his way to invite her to lunch. Perhaps the tides had turned and the mating fever had finally snagged him. Talk about wishful thinking.

Mitchell didn’t say another word as she followed him to the elevator and down to the lobby. Actually, he actively avoided meeting her gaze, which allowed her to drink in the sight of his body, a hot bod that she had only caught brief glimpses in the past few years.

His worn t-shirt hugged his wiry frame, the soft material stretching across his broad shoulders. Well-washed jeans clung to his thighs, the waist of them hanging low on lean hips. His hair stood in untamed tufts as if he’d run his fingers through it. As for his face, he still sported the same sharp-angled features, piercing eyes, and square chin. Ruggedly handsome as ever.

While she let herself drink in the sight of him, he kept his gaze pointed squarely at her feet clad in low heels that she kept stashed at the office. She’d also thankfully had a spare set of clothes because Alejandro had left the crotch in her first pair of pants ridiculously wet after his kiss. The pig. Speaking of whom, she wondered what he did while Mitchell escorted her to lunch.

It was as they exited through the glass doors at the front that she saw the object of her thoughts and caught Mitchell’s triumphant grin. Oh, how nice. She’d gotten caught in the middle of a male pissing contest. Good thing she learned to aim years ago from the numerous times she went camping, because she couldn’t wait to join in.

“Jag,” she cried out, waving.

“Jag?” Mitchell growled.

At Mitchell’s pointed glare, she smiled. “His name is so long to pronounce, especially in the heat of the moment, that I gave him a shorter one that went well, I thought, with his great, big, powerful beast. Don’t worry, Mitchy,” she said, using the nickname he’d hated as a kid, which she’d not thought about in years. “I won’t ditch you for lunch. You did, after all, ask me first. You don’t mind if Jag joins us, do you? He did, after all, go out of his way just to see me. Besides, I’m sure if you give each other a chance, you’ll find you have loads in common.”

She didn’t have time to enjoy Mitchell’s open mouthed incredulity for long because she found herself spun and a pair of lips plastered to hers. Oh, how nice that felt. Like that morning, when he’d insisted on a kiss, tingles shot through her body and she lost her breath at the excitement his simple touch ignited. She didn’t want to analyze her reaction to him too closely, but she began to fear that despite her affection and longing for Mitch, Alejandro might also play a part in her future mating plans.
I’ll have to kiss Mitch too
,
though
,
to be sure. I wonder if I can convince him to let me?

She didn’t get to enjoy the embrace for long as Jag, in full fake boyfriend mode, lifted his head and smiled down at her with all the lazy grace of a cat who’d caught the canary. “Hey, baby. I wanted to surprise you and take you out to for something meaty to eat.”

“Mmm, sounds delicious,” she purred back. “You don’t mind if Mitchy comes along, do you? He was in the area and asked me first. And he’s awfully grumpy, apparently, when he’s hungry.”

“Not a problem. My mama always did teach me to share.” And then, he winked at Mitchell.

For a moment, she thought for sure Mitchell would either blow his top or die of embarrassment at Alejandro’s sly innuendo.

Instead, he tightened his lips and said through gritted teeth, “Let’s go.”

It was a good thing Alejandro had a good grip on her hand to guide her along because she’d completely gone blank at Alejandro’s mention of sharing. It made her instantly picture both of them with her, pleasing her. What a shame Mitchell would never go for it, especially since the more time she spent with them both, her wolf spinning, her heart racing, and her cleft soaking, the more she wondered what she would do if she had to choose. Would she pick the man she’d known and loved forever who kept denying her, or the Casanova she’d just met who said all the right things and made no bones about the fact he desired her, but who would likely leave once the novelty wore off?

From no men to too many. Fate truly liked messing with people.

Sitting between them in a u-shaped booth at a nearby sports bar, she glanced back and forth at them, not that they noticed, too intent were they on glaring at each other. Actually, Mitchell glared, Alejandro smirked. Apparently, she’d have to get the conversational ball rolling while trying avoid a bar fight. What fun.

“So, Mitchell, why exactly did you seek me out for lunch?”

“Yeah, Mitchy,” Alejandro teased, grasping her hand to lace his fingers through it. “I have to say, if I’d known we were going to have a third wheel, I’d have brought the lube.”

A tic formed in Mitchell’s temple and he gritted his teeth. “First off, I’m not here to have sex with Francine. Or with you, you disgusting pervert.”

Alejandro laughed. “Oh, the lube wasn’t for you, but my sweet wolf here. Nothing like a sandwich to get a woman screaming, in pleasure, of course. Don’t worry, I have no designs on your scrawny body. Francine's though…” He turned to look at her, and shot her a sultry smile as he stroked his thumb over the skin of her hand.

A shiver went through her and heat pooled in her cleft. It didn’t help that now she couldn’t help imagining herself naked between two male bodies. So not happening despite her curiosity. Mitchell would cut off his dick to spite them first. Besides, she couldn’t even convince Mitch to do her, so forget convincing him to share her with another. At the rate this conversation went, she’d probably end up humping her hand alone again because they’d both end up in the hospital, victims of male arrogance and testosterone.

Despite knowing Alejandro’s suggestion would never bear fruit, she played along anyways. The entertainment value was just too good to pass up. “Jag!” she squealed. “You naughty, naughty man. What a fun idea, but Mitchy isn’t into doing wild and kinky stuff, though. He’s more of a missionary man, so I hear. Aren’t you, Mitchell?” She smiled at him serenely, biting the inside of her cheek so as to not laugh at his red-faced, glowering expression.
I am so bad for teasing him.
But then again, she wasn’t about to change her nature for anyone, not even Mitchell. Raunchiness and outrageous comments were her forte.

“I’m not a prude,” he muttered through gritted teeth.

Patting his hand, she cajoled him. “Sure you aren’t. It’s okay, not everyone is into sexual experimentation.”

“Or extreme pleasure, apparently,” Alejandro said, tilting her chin so she gazed his way. And oh, if she didn’t know he played a part, she would have swooned at the heat in his eyes. The promise in his sensual lips…

A growl startled her from her eye contact with Alejandro, and she turned to glance at Mitchell. Still ruddy-cheeked, his eyes blazed while his hands on the table were clenched into white-knuckled fists. “Enough. Francine. You can’t seriously tell me you’re actually dating this guy? Not only is he a pervert, he’s a womanizing pig.”

“Cat.”

“Whatever, asshole. Anyone can see he’s just going to break your heart.”

“Like you haven’t?” she replied tartly.

That made him squirm and drop his gaze. “I never made any promises to you. You were the one chasing me. I tried to let you down easy.”

For some reason, that pissed her off. Yes, she’d chased him, but how dare he make her sound like some desperate bitch. She’d only gone after him because her instincts said he belonged to her. “I see. Well, consider me let down, Mitchell. You were right. I can’t force you to love me. Or care for me or even want me. Alejandro, on the other hand, does. So congrats, you’re free. I’m done letting a foolish girlhood fantasy dictate my life.”

Opening and shutting his mouth a few times, Mitchell seemed at a loss for words. “So that’s it? You don’t think we’re meant to be mates anymore?”

Actually, she knew the exact opposite, and her inner wolf howled in frustration that he didn’t see it too. “Oh, I know you’re supposed to be mine. Even now my wolf is telling me to pounce on you and sink my teeth in. But don’t worry,” she said, shaking her head sadly when he leaned away from her. “It’s obvious you don’t feel the same way. And besides, it looks like fate’s found you a replacement.” She turned away from Mitchell, her heart heavy that she’d bared it all and he still insisted they weren’t meant to be. Alejandro slid on the bench until he could curl his arm around her. She welcomed his warmth and turned into him, nuzzling the skin of his neck.

“I’m sorry, Francine,” Mitch whispered. “I—um—that is, you’re like a—”

She tensed. “I know. I know. I’m like a sister to you. Bye, Mitchell. You don’t need to hide anymore. I’m done.”

Forcing herself to not look at him as he left, she instead inhaled Alejandro’s scent, its muskiness exciting and soothing at the same time. Her wolf paced in her mind, confused. On the one paw, it wanted her to not let Mitchell, who stood with a rustle, walk away. But at the same time, her inner bitch wanted her to open her mouth wide and put her mark on the tanned column before her. Claim this man who’d made her no promises and simply played a convincing role, one that fooled even her human side so sincere did he appear.

“He’s gone,” murmured Alejandro. “He’s a fucking idiot, you know.”

Trying to move away from temptation, she found herself unable to, Alejandro’s arm anchoring her at his side.

“He’s not an idiot, just too honorable. Kind of like you, I think.”

“Me?” Incredulous eyes peered down at her. “I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, baby, but honorable? Not even close.”

“Perhaps because you’ve never had an opportunity. I think you’re a lot more chivalrous than you give yourself credit for.”

He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. “And you are lucky we are in a public place or I’d show you just how non principled I am.”

“Mmm, public sex. That’s not a threat,” she purred. “That’s foreplay.” Down went his head onto the table with a thump while Francine laughed. “Was it something I said?”

“When I agreed to this ruse,” he mumbled, his face still buried. “I didn’t expect you to try and kill me by making my blue balls explode.”

“Poor Jag. Am I too much for you to handle? It wouldn’t be the first time a man’s had that problem. Hell, the prime example just walked away. Speaking of which, our target’s gone so you don’t need to pretend anymore.”

Turning his head sideways, Alejandro’s dark eyes regarded her with a seriousness she found disturbing. “And what if it weren’t an act for his benefit? What if I did feel something for you? What would you say?”

His words took her by surprise, especially since she’d thought them herself. Did she want Alejandro as a lover?
Yes.
Did she want him forever?
Too soon to know.
Did she still want Mitchell?
Damn
me, I still do.

An answer to his question didn’t arrive before their waitress did with drinks, and seeing the way she smiled coyly and flirted with Alejandro reminded Francine of one important fact.
He’s a lady’s man. Even if he finds me intriguing now, how can I throw away a possibility with Mitchell, knowing full well Alejandro will probably w
alk once I give in to his charm?

Sliding away from him, trying to regain some sense of equilibrium, they ordered. As they waited for their food, she analyzed the Mitchell thing while skipping the whole feeling thing she’d discovered for Alejandro. She didn’t want to get into the fact that everything she’d said about him was true and not a script for their plot.

Alejandro abruptly broke the silence. “Jag, huh? Nice spur of the minute thinking. Is it short for my cat? The mighty black jaguar, feared by all.”