Valens could hear Isa’s heart beating loudly. It matched the rhythm of his own, to which his tiger did a happy little chant of my mate, my mate, my mate. He wasn’t even bothered by it. He would panic about the fact that his mate was human in the morning.
It’s not like it could go anywhere, anyway.
Isa might be his mate, but she wasn’t from around here. She was literally a world traveler who did dangerous stunts for a living.
She might be his mate, but Isa was the exact opposite of what Valens wanted in a mate. He knew if he talked to his mom and Reina about it, the wise old women would tell him that if Isa wasn’t what he wanted, then she might be what he needed.
What did that even mean, anyway? Didn’t he already have everything he needed? Until yesterday, before Isa walked into his life, Valens was sure he had everything he wanted in life. A good relationship with his family and streak. A really good and steady job caring for the people who visited his town. A nice home where he could watch TV, read a book, grill some meat. A lush mountain forest where he could shift into his tiger and run to his heart’s content. There was even a lake where he could swim — as a man or a tiger.
So why did it suddenly feel like it would be the worst thing that ever happened to him if Isa disappeared from Thatcherton?
It was downright ludicrous. He didn’t know her at all.
“You’ve got a really serious look on your face right now,” she commented, bringing him back into the moment.
“Oh?”
“You were staring at your glass of wine like it held all of the answers.”
Wish that did it.
“I’m just wondering what led you to choose the life you have. Do you have a home base?”
She winced visibly at his question. “I sorta have an apartment I share with roommates, yeah. They don’t care that there's an empty room they can basically use as a guestroom when I’m out of town.”
“Are you there often?”
She shook her head, twirling her wine glass. “Not so much, no.”
“Were you always like this? Always exploring?”
“No. Not really."
Valens could tell she didn’t really want to go on. He smiled at her. “I don’t mean to push you to discuss things that would make you uncomfortable. I just wonder that’s all. I love this town and the people in it. And even though I could kill my brothers sometimes because they annoy me to no end, I’m not sure what I would do if they didn’t live down the road.”
“I guess that’s the difference. You have a family here. People who love you, people you’d miss and that you can’t really imagine your life without. I don’t have that. I don’t have siblings. My mother left when I was a kid, and my father…” She winced again.
He nearly jumped over the table to hug her. She looked so sad all of a sudden. “He’s a difficult person?”
She sighed. “That’s the understatement of the year. I don’t think he ever really wanted kids. My parents most likely had only me because of my mother. I don’t know what happened to make her leave, but she did. Then my dad was stuck with me. A kid he didn’t want.”
“I’m so sorry. That sounds awful. Do you talk to your mother?”
“I haven’t heard a word from her since she left.”
“Damn. I really am sorry.”
She shrugged before taking a big gulp of her wine. “It’s fine. It’s not. But you get used to it.”
“I’m guessing your dad didn’t try to be all warm and fatherly for you?”
“That would be a no. I think he got it into his head that if I was the best at everything. The smartest, the prettiest, the most accomplished, then he wouldn’t have to feel ashamed of me. I don’t know if that’s how he reacted to my mom leaving, but he did.”
“He sounds like a ray of sunshine.”
“He is. If sunshine is made of toxic gamma rays. He tried to control every little thing I did.”
“I get it now. You living out on the road, doing stunts. It’s your way of rebelling.” He shook his head. “No. Sorry. That doesn’t sound right.”
“No. You’re right. It’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m literally living the life opposite of what he wanted for me. He tries to threaten me back home every time we talk.”
“That must make your conversations few and far in between.”
“Yup. I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life, you know? All I want is a life that makes me happy. For a while there, when I was young and barely had an education, doing stunts, recording them, and putting them online was an easy way to make cash. I got sponsors and all the stuff that comes with it. It’s harder now. I’m older, and there are so many people out there doing exactly what I do. I sort of need an out.”
“Is that where the article writing comes in?”
She smiled. “It sure is. I have this secret dream. It’s got nothing to do with writing. I’d like to open a…” She looked down into her empty wine glass. “Holy fuck. I must have drunk too much if I’m spilling my guts like this to you.”
Valens reached over to take her hand in his. “Hey, you can spill your guts all over me any time you like, Isa.”
“Good thing this isn’t a date, or you’d be running for the door screaming that you’ve met someone like me. Telling you all my deep, dark secrets."
He chuckled. “Damn. And here I was, having a good time, thinking this was a good date because you were opening up to me.”
“So this is a date, huh?” Her smile was coy.
“Yup.”
“And when did we decide this?”
“Oh, you know. When I asked to show you around town.”
Isa laughed, the sound going straight to his cock. “I had no idea.”
“Come on, now, Isa. Don’t be like that. You were curious about where this would lead.”
She giggled. “Fine. You’ve got me. I was definitely curious. But just so we’re clear, my curiosity also led me to jump out of a plane, bike through a desert, eat some delicacies that would make the strongest American stomach cringe.”
“You comparing me to all of those things?”
Her breath hitched. If Valens hadn’t been a shifter, he would have missed it. He really would have, but he heard it loud and clear. For a second, he thought it was one of the best moments of his life.
Then Isa did something completely unexpected. She leaned over the table and brushed his ear with her lips. “You’re like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. I know it’s dangerous, but somehow, I know I’ll be safe. You’ll catch me.” Her lips trailed along his jaw until she pressed a soft kiss to his mouth.
Valens’s head spun with desire. He reached out to cup her chin, keeping her in place. He deepened the kiss, letting his tongue dip into her mouth. Isa was surprised, but she moaned before pulling away.
Her cheeks were flushed as she sat back, her hand going to her mouth. “Did that really just happen?” she whispered.
“It did. Told ya it was a date. Now, if you’ll excuse me, daredevil. I need to get dessert ready.” He winked at her, hoping she would sit there, on his patio, contemplating just how amazing that sweet little kiss was.