The Alpha's Temporary Mate (Fated Match) (5 page)

“I’m sure you can ask,” she replied. She’d known Kieran was some sort of whiz with numbers, but it was starting to sound like what she
didn’t
know about her would-be lover could fill a book.

“How about I talk to Kieran and get back to you with a date?” Chloe offered. “Right now I really need to find a suitable match for a Minotaur on my client list, and you know how picky they can be.”

“Bullheaded men.” Jessica sighed. “I’ll leave you to it, then. Just give me a call when you have a time, and I’ll clear my schedule.”

Chloe watched her friend leave the office before waving a hand at the door. It shut and locked with a shimmer of blue magic.

Alone, she quickly pulled up a supernatural search page on her computer and plugged in Kieran’s name.

The list of sites it brought up was endless.

“Hell,” she breathed as she skimmed through the articles that alternated between financial journals and tabloid pictures. Just as Jessica had said, it seemed Kieran had made his money through strategic investments. He now ran a highly sought after investment agency, which only took clients with multimillion dollar accounts to play with.

She swallowed hard as she read one report on how he’d managed to take a failing pack like the Clearwater group and transform it into one of the leading clans in the country. There was no record of his age online, but references to Kieran leading his people dated as far back as the late 1800s.

Clicking open another link, Chloe hissed at the image of Kieran lounging in a club, surrounded by half-naked women. There was no doubt he was a man who worked hard and played harder, but Jessica was right—no one in her circle would ever believe she’d picked him. Kieran stood for luxury and decadence, whereas she preferred simplicity and restraint.

“Don’t borrow trouble,” she scolded herself. Maybe her friends would just think she was going through a pretty boy phase. Besides the ever-protective Jessica, no one else would have to meet him. And she could do damage control for one dinner. If anyone was going to unravel their deception it was far more likely to be on his side of things.

Speaking of which. Chloe glanced at her watch. A few more hours and she’d have to call it a day.

“Better get something worthwhile done,” she said as she reached for the thick stack of intake files. She had more to think about than one werewolf and his sinful touch.

K
ieran stared at the numbers on his screen as if they were symbols he’d never seen before. He loved his job, loved knowing which investments would do well and what to gamble on. His world was one of both order and controlled risk. Here he was utterly confident in the power he wielded over his successful domain. But today he was just going through the motions.

It couldn’t be nerves. After all, he was never anxious. Outside the office walls, his life was filled with uncomplicated pleasure and within this room he executed his duties with ruthless efficiency that helped swell the investments of all his clients. Simple. Easy.

Two words that would never be applied to the witch in his home.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. Tonight would change everything. Either they’d succeed, or his freedom would be a thing of the past.

The problem was timing, he mused. Chloe didn’t know him. She wasn’t at ease when he walked into a room. Throwing her into a gallery with his packmates was too much too soon. If she made a mistake…

She’ll do well tonight
. She had to. Besides, he’d picked her, and he never made mistakes.

At least, not anymore.

Chloe would be the woman he needed. There had to be another reason he was distracted.

The shrill of his telephone cut through his thoughts.

“Clearwater,” he answered, bringing the receiver to his ear.

“You’ll be at the gallery opening, correct?” a male voice replied, not bothering with a greeting.

“Hello to you, too, Niall.” He sat back in his chair, a smile on his face. Niall had been a friend since childhood. Hundreds of years as packmates had made the other man the closest thing Kieran had to a sibling.

“I just wanted to confirm. If you’re skipping out on me there’s a gorgeous swimsuit model I’m going to take to dinner.”

“I’ll be there.” And bringing a plus one—though he kept that information to himself.

A sigh carried through the phone. “I was rather hoping you’d ditch me.”

“By all means, go to dinner instead.” Though introducing Chloe to Niall would be a surefire way to spread news of her existence around the pack, a brief delay might not be the end of the world.

“No, no. It’s been forever since we had a night out. Besides, there are pack issues to discuss.”

“Everything on track for the retreat?”

“It’ll be the largest turn out in years,” Niall confirmed.

“All right. If we’re going to be a full house, I’ll drive out there this weekend and make sure all the cabins are in decent shape.”

“No,” Niall countered. “I’ll drive out this weekend and check. You were going to try and delegate more, remember?”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, not liking the idea of giving important tasks to others, even those he trusted implicitly. “I’ll leave it to you, then.” He forced out the words.

“Good man.”

“Care to comment on why we’re having such large numbers this year?”

There was nothing but silence on the other end of the phone.

“Dammit, Niall.”

“Not my fault,” the other man denied. “Take it up with the other senior pack members. Apparently word on the street is that you’re looking for a mate.”

He groaned into the receiver.

“I happened to glance at the RSVP list, and let me assure you, every wolf you’ve even smiled at in the past century is coming this year. No doubt to try and win your frozen heart.”

“You’re lucky you’re not close enough to strangle.”

“Why do you think I’m telling you over the phone?”

Kieran pushed out of his seat, taking the cordless with him. “The pack can’t expect me to just select some random woman to tie my life to.”

“Hardly random when you’ve known most of the candidates since you were a cub.”

Niall might have a point, but he was certain his fated mate was not among his own pack. Crossing the length of his office, he rested an arm against the wide windows and looked down at the bustling Manhattan streets.

“You know I won’t pick one of them.”

Niall was silent. Never a good sign when it came to the gregarious wolf.

“Niall.”

“You need to pick someone,” he replied. “And you know it. The pack needs the stability. The younger wolves are picking up on the tension. It’s not a good situation.”

“I’m working on it.”

“Are you?” The doubt in Niall’s voice was palpable. “Since when?”

“You might be surprised,” he growled.

“I hope I am. Look, I’ve got a meeting in a few minutes. Want to grab some beers before the opening tonight?”

“Can’t,” he replied. “Busy.”

“All right. I’ll find you there then.” The call disconnected without any farewell.

Kieran’s arm dropped to his side. He was used to fending off the attention of many of the single women in the pack but it sounded like this year would be an extra level of hell. It might also be more than Chloe signed on for. Not only would she have to deal with prejudiced wolves taking issue with her witch blood, but she’d also be faced with women envious of her position as his lover.

“She can handle herself,” he said aloud. She was his employee not a true girlfriend. What did he care if her time at the retreat was uncomfortable? All that mattered was success.

Besides, if their charade was discovered tonight then worrying about the retreat would be a moot point anyway.

Returning the phone to its cradle, he grabbed his suit jacket and headed out of the office.

“Going to lunch,” he told his secretary. Maybe a change of scenery would do him good.

At the very least it should help get a certain blonde-haired witch off his mind.

Chapter Five

I
t was dark when she entered the penthouse. A last minute client interview had carried her later into the evening than she’d anticipated. Now she’d have to rush to get ready. Thank God she had a little magic on her side.

“I was starting to think you weren’t going to make it.”

Drawn by the silken voice, Chloe stepped into the sprawling living room to find Kieran relaxing on his sofa. His arms were draped over the back of the couch as he watched her.

“Work ran late,” she replied.

“Some lovelorn swain having issues?”

“No,” she said, stepping farther into the room. “I had a client interested in our platinum package.”

He arched a questioning brow.

“The platinum package includes a decade of access to our online database of potential matches. Thirty hand-picked dates over the course of the access period, managed by yours truly, and relationship coaching as needed. Plus their profile gets pushed to the top of the search page. All things you would know had you come to the agency looking for your mate rather than a lie.”

“So far the lie has been a hell of a lot more fun,” he replied, his voice decadent.

“How long do I have to get ready?” she demanded.

He glanced at his watch. “Is an hour long enough?”

“Works for me. I’ll go get started.”

“Chloe.” His voice froze her on her way out of the room. “I left a little something in your room. I hope you like it.”

As she glanced back at the man in the shadowed room, an awareness tingled through her, which she wished she could ignore.

Without replying, she left Kieran and ran up the stairs two at a time.

Focus on the job,
she chided herself, trying not to remember the feeling of his mouth on hers. Whatever he left for her could surely be ignored as easily as her wayward desires.

Except once she stepped into her room, her resolve cracked.

There, lying across her bed, was a breathtakingly beautiful dress. With a worshipful hand, she reached for the ribbon and lace concoction—so light it felt like a dream in her hands. Catching sight of the designer tag caused a ripple of vertigo to flow through her. No doubt this single item cost more than most of her wardrobe put together.

Unable to stop herself, she tugged her dress shirt over her head and stepped out of the pencil skirt before reaching for the little black dress. It floated around her body, fitting her to perfection. She wondered where he’d found a designer dress large enough for a real woman and not a slender model. Then again, a man like him probably had little trouble finding exactly what he wanted, when he wanted it.

Gliding before the full-length mirror, she couldn’t help spinning on her toes. The creation was undeniably sexy. Though much of her skin was hidden, the lace allowed for peek-a-boo moments when she walked. It was a dress for a beautiful, confident woman.

Chloe met her own reflection in the mirror as her smile slipped. It was a gown for any one of Kieran’s nameless lovers. He was treating her as he’d done all the rest. He threw money at his girlfriends, and they fawned at his feet.

A woman my checkbook can’t sway? Show me such a creature and I’ll marry her.

His words from one of their first meetings swirled through her mind. He might touch her and tease her but she was nothing special to him. Just another woman drifting through his life, who would leave with a few hot memories and some new clothes when he was done with her.

Reverently, she ran her hand down the perfect dress before pulling it over her head. Even if she wanted to let herself fall into the fairytale, she wasn’t a woman who could do such a dress justice. Kieran might want her dressed up like a doll on his arm, but not even for Fated Match could she act like someone she wasn’t.

Hanging up the dress, she turned her attention to the clothes she’d brought with her. Though nothing was as expensive as the black dress she’d rejected, Vivian had insisted she top up her wardrobe when her work duties had evolved to wooing high profile clients. If she was going to go after the crème de le crème of New York’s supernatural society, she had to look the part.

A grin curved her lips as her fingers touched red silk. Though she’d bought it years ago she’d never had a chance to test it out. The color was a touch too bright for a work event, even an after-hours one. But tonight Kieran wanted all eyes on her.

And in this dress she could definitely comply.

Wardrobe decided, she rushed through her shower and toiletry routine. Usually she preferred to pull her blonde hair back into some semblance of a bun, but tonight she ran her fingers through her hair, leaving instant, magical curls behind. As a bonus, the bouncing locks would stay soft and perfect without the aid of any hairspray. Turning to her makeup, she made it a little more dramatic than her standard neutrals, knowing she’d need to balance out the brightness of her dress. Chloe blew a kiss to her reflection through scarlet red lips.

Standing in her towel she glanced at herself with a critical eye. She needed to match the image of the type of woman the Clearwater pack would expect Kieran to date, but she also needed to look like herself. She ran a hand over her full hips before staring at her breasts with a sigh. Even if she duct taped the girls down she worried they’d be too large to compliment to the classy look she was trying to effect. Not that there was much she could do about that. She hoped Kieran had thrown a few curvier women into his parade of model lovers, or his pack would have questions she didn’t want them asking.

Tossing the red dress over her head, she let it fall into place around her body. A black belt helped define her waist before the silk fell into a slightly fuller skirt that brushed just above her knees. The deep V of the dress added some sex appeal to the otherwise demure creation.

Twirling before the mirror in a pair of black pumps, she grinned at her reflection. Kieran’s dress was more stunning, but she didn’t think she cleaned up too badly when left to her own devices.

“And I look like me,” she whispered to herself. And that was the most important outcome.

Grabbing her clutch, she headed for the door, all the while steeling herself for Kieran’s rejection. The wolf didn’t strike her as a man who cared to have his plans upset.

She lifted her chin. Too bad she wasn’t a woman who followed orders easily.

K
ieran stared out over the darkening city, a tumbler of whiskey in his hand. Tonight it’d begin. Once he took Chloe to the gallery there was no going back. They had to be convincing, or it was his head on the chopping block.

For a man who didn’t believe in nerves, his had continued to make an annoying appearance throughout the day. Not for the first time, he wondered if he’d let his cock make decisions his brain should have had utter control over. The fey woman he’d met would have had no problem rubbing elbows with the pack’s elite. Chloe, however, was a far less predictable animal. While that made his wolf snarl in approval, the man dreaded what failure would mean to them all.

The click of heels on the stairs reached his ears, and he downed the last of his drink. Setting the glass on the bar cart, he went to meet her. Tugging his black cuff into place, he strode into the entrance hall.

And forgot how to breathe.

That was definitely not the dress he’d so carefully selected. Usually he farmed out such tasks to an assistant, but this time he’d spent his lunch break perusing women’s fashion until he’d found a dress he thought would do her justice. An outside observer might make the mistake of thinking the action was uncharacteristically sentimental, but he preferred to think of it as being prepared. Every detail of this night needed to be perfectly planned, including every inch of his date. He’d tried to give her a color that would help her avoid the spotlight, knowing she was nervous enough about this outing as it was. Every decision about that dress had been made to help her blend into her surroundings without stealing the show.

But Chloe wasn’t a woman for the sidelines.

There would be no missing her in the fire-engine-red gown she’d selected. Nor would anyone who saw her doubt why he’d pursued her. Not with silk accentuating every curve until all he could think of was blowing off the show and taking her to bed. He’d peel the red silk away from her delicious body, running his lips over every inch of creamy skin he uncovered. Those soft curls would be tangled around her face as she writhed beneath him, her luscious red lipstick smeared as she begged him for one more kiss.

And those sky-high black heels? Hell, they could stay. He bit back a growl as he imagined them digging into his skin as she locked her legs around his hips.

She stepped off the stairs and glided toward him. Kieran couldn’t help his smile when he noted her raised chin. His lovely fake lover was ready to fight.

Chloe stopped before him, looking up, even in her heels.

Knowing she was waiting for his judgment, Kieran took his time allowing his eyes to rake down her body then slowly back up to her face. Not what he’d planned, perhaps, but definitely worth the detour.

“I’m going to have to fight off challengers tonight,” he said finally.

She blinked, as if expecting far different words. “Why?”

He reached out to wrap an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “Because, sweetheart, every man there will want you for his own.”

Her sharp inhale when her body collided with his pacified the wolf pacing within him. It whined in pleasure when he stroked his fingers down her bare arm.

“Be serious,” she huffed, trying to appear unaffected even as a telling shiver gripped her body.

“Trust me, Chloe. I am.”

Was she trying to drown him, he wondered, as he looked down into her wide green eyes. A secret pleasure lurked there that she couldn’t hide. Not that Chloe was very adept at hiding much. The woman was an open book to any who cared to read her.

Kieran had a feeling he’d always be paying that extra bit of attention when she was around.

“I can’t keep the other dress,” she said, trying to step back.

He refused to allow her to retreat. “Why?” he asked. “I’d love to see it on you. Didn’t you like it?”

“It was beautiful. Perfect.”

“Then why?” he breathed, his head moving closer to hers.

“I won’t let you buy me, wolf.”

He paused, considering her words. Had he been? It’s true his past relationships had revolved around a certain give and take, his contributions being mainly monetary. Any other lover would have taken the expensive gift without a second thought. A wolfish grin twisted his lips as he thought of all the ways they’d thanked him for his generosity. Perhaps he’d wanted Chloe in exactly that position.

Defiance filled her eyes as she stared up at him. “You’ve given Vivian more than enough to ensure our compliance. I’ll follow your lead. There’s no need to bribe me.”

“Did you ever stop to think maybe I was just doing something nice for you?” he asked.

Her eyes slid away from his as she considered his words. “If you want to do something nice for me,” she said at last, “buy some boxes of tea. I hate drinking coffee, and that’s all you have in your cupboards.”

Tea. He’d tried to spend hundreds of dollars on her, and she wanted tea. Kieran stared down at the woman in his arms, aware that his wolf was holding itself very, very still. Watching. Waiting.

She glanced back up at him, and Kieran heard her breath hitch. While her wide eyes locked on his, her body was carefully still in his arms.

He wasn’t a man who ever let an opportunity pass. Not when he wanted a woman the way he wanted this one. But Chloe was different. This was different.

Think of the job,
he scolded himself. Tonight was about more than a delicious woman. He needed to keep his eye on the prize and off his lovely companion’s cleavage. She was an accessory in his plan, nothing more.

When her gaze flicked to his mouth, it was all he could do not to press his lips to hers.

“Kieran,” she whispered, before straightening her shoulders. “Aren’t we going to be late? Don’t want to miss your packmates.”

“You’re right, of course.” His arms, however, refused to release his prize.

She hesitated for a heartbeat before stepping back and away from him. “Then we should get going.”

A growl rumbled from his chest before he could bite it back.

The witch glanced at him with a coolly arched eyebrow.

“After you, darling,” he replied, gesturing toward the door.

Still, as they left the apartment Kieran couldn’t help placing his hand at the small of her back. Though she stiffened at the touch, she didn’t shrug it off. Progress.

And tomorrow, he decided, he’d buy all the tea he could carry.