Paranormal Dating Agency: Where He Leads (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  “What do you mean she built the bike?”

  “Exactly what I said. Eira told me she practically built it from scratch and painted it herself too. Look she’s had a hard time fitting in wherever she goes because of the work she does, let’s at least try and make her feel welcome here. If not for me, do it for Eira.”

  Jett snarled. “Ugh, fine.”

  “Thanks. I won’t forget this.”

  “No, you won’t.” Jett said over his shoulder as his left the building.

  Jett rounded the resort and hopped into his black Jeep, taking off in the direction he saw Tatum go in. About a mile down the road he saw a lone woman walking to the right of the path; her long, straight ebony hair blowing in the cold breeze. She must have been freezing because all she wore was that thin motorcycle suit over her clothes. It was starting drizzle again and she no doubt would be a frozen popsicle by the time she reached Adonis’ house. Jett pulled up alongside her and beeped the horn. He rolled down the passenger side window. “Get in the car!”

  She stopped for a beat, looked over at him, and began walking again. “No, thank you!”

  He sighed heavily, trying to conjure up enough strength to deal with her attitude. Adonis asked him to make her feel welcome and he never asked for much, so he wanted to keep his word to his friend. But, fuck she was making it really difficult. “Tatum, you’re getting soaked. Please just get in the car.” He continued to drive alongside of her. “I’m not going to leave you here by yourself. I’ll just annoy you the whole way there.” She stopped walking, so he applied the brakes, coming to a halt. They stared at each other for a full minute before she turned and began to ascend the pitched path again.

  Jett sped out in front of her and cut her off at the pass. He cut off the engine and jumped out of the car. He’d had enough of these games and he was going to be nice to her even whether she wanted him to be or not. Without warning, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, bringing her ass into the passenger seat of the Jeep. He saw her lock the door and slide into the driver’s seat to lock his door as he rounded the bumper; then she reached for the keys to turn the car on. Jett lightly tapped the window with the keys she was desperately searching for in the ignition. He jiggled them in front of her face from the other side of the glass and smirked. Waving his hand, he motioned for her to slide over into the passenger seat and reluctantly, she did.

  Jett unlocked the door and slid into the driver’s seat, putting the key into the ignition and turning up the heat for her. He didn’t need the heat, he was a wolf, and wolf shifters had a higher core temperature than a human did. He turned the car back onto the road and glanced at her. “Warm enough?” She didn’t answer so he asked again. “I asked if you were warm enough?” Still no answer. “You know we are going to see quite a bit of each other while you’re here. Let’s say we be friends?”

  She snapped her head in his direction. “Friends?! I wouldn’t be your friend if you were the last person on earth.”

  “Why are you so hellbent on giving me grief?”

  “Well, I am so sorry to have ruined your day. I didn’t ask you to give me a ride. I didn’t ask you to make conversation with me. And I sure as Hell didn’t ask you to jump in front of me and destroy my bike!”

  “Can you please just let it go already. It was an accident, that I did not cause by the way, so get over it. Let’s move on.”

  “That’s easy for you to say, you have this car. How am I supposed to move at all when I have nothing to take me where I have to go?”

  Jett looked at her in the corner of his eye, observing her through the reflection of the window and saw her violently swipe a tear from her face. He opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it since he had a feeling it would only upset her more. He didn’t think she would appreciate it if he knew how hurt she really was. Now, he felt like a complete jerk for arguing with her. He could tell she was a strong woman and for her to be this unsettled that motorcycle must have meant a lot to her. As he pulled up to Eira’s house, he decided he should be the one to bury the hatchet and extend an olive branch. “I’m sorry about today and your bike. If there’s anything I can do, let me know.” He reached for a piece of ripped paper and a pen out of his pocket to write his number down. When he handed it to her, she only looked at it before opening the passenger side door and hopped out.

  Shaking his head, Jett backed out of the driveway and headed back to the hotel. He tried his best to be nice to her, but she didn’t accept his offer of a truce, so Adonis couldn’t get mad at him. She was the one who was being difficult, not him. Thank goodness she wasn’t his mate because he didn’t think he could spend the rest of his life brought to the brink of insanity. She drove him that crazy. There wasn’t enough lust in the world to get him to put up with her on a daily basis, he didn’t care how hard he was for her right now. Shit, he was hard. So damn hard. Her scent of motor oil mixed with ……. was fucking intoxicating. Being that close to her in an enclosed space smelling like had was making him ache in places he didn’t know could ache. No, he was not going to dwell on Tatum any longer than he had. She wasn’t interested in being friends, so he shouldn’t care either. The best thing for him to do was forget all about her and move on with his life. Besides, she was only here for a visit. She’d be gone soon and then he wouldn’t have to worry about being nice to her anymore.

  Jett called Adonis as he drove back down the mountain to let him know tatum was now with Eira and to ask if he would be needed for the cleanup in front of the hotel. Since Adonis had everything covered Jett made his way into town to drop his car off at Speed Demon’s Automotive shop. His Jeep was in desperate need of a tune-up and the tires needed to be changed due to the constant driving on the rough terrain. Speed Demon’s was located not too far from the resort and not only serviced cars, but everyone used them to repair their snowmobiles and motorcycles as well. It was a huge company with lots of acreage to work and plenty of employees to go around so you really didn’t have to wait long to have your mode of transportation fixed.

  The shop offered to drive Jett back to the resort since his Jeep needed several services, but he politely declined their offer. He wanted to stretch his legs and let off some steam after the day he’d had. A long run with his animal would do him some good. He could forget all about Tatum and the debacle that was their first encounter and hopefully never have another for the duration of her stay.

  Chapter Six

  Eira swung the door open and Tatum walked past her into the house. She wasn’t trying to be rude or inconsiderate; she just wanted to put as much distance between her and Jett as possible. On the drive over, he was starting to get to her. Though his apology sounded sincere, it still didn’t change the fact that her most prized possession was totalled. Pair that with the guilt she was starting to feel for treating Jett the way she did after he saved her life had her stomach in knots.

  “What happened? Why did Jett drop you off? And why do you look so upset? Did he say something to you? Because I’ll put a hurtin’ on him if he did.”

  Tatum plopped herself on the sofa. “There was an accident at the hotel…”

  Eira’s eyes widened as her hand clutched her throat. “Oh my God is everyone okay? I have to call Adonis.”

  Tatum raised her hand to still Eira before she worried herself to death. After all, she was expecting twins any day now. She didn’t need any added stress in her life. “Adonis is fine. Everyone is fine. Lightning struck a tree in front of the hotel and a humongous branch fell and almost flattened me…”

  “I think I need to sit down.”

  “I’m so sorry love. I’m an idiot. Let me help you.” Tatum stood and assisted Eira onto the cushion next to her.

  “Okay, now you can finish the story.”

  “Well, first I almost ran that jerk over…”

  “What jerk?”

  “Jett.”

  “How?”

  “He ran right in front of me when I was on my bike. Then th
e lightning struck and he pushed me out of the way…”

  “Aww, he saved your life. I think I’m gonna cry.” Eira swiped a tear away from the corner of her eye. “Sorry, hormones.”

  “No aww, if he didn’t jump in front of me my bike it would still be here.”

  “Yeah, and you wouldn’t be.”

  Tatum opened her mouth to speak, then clamped it shut again. “I’m such a shit.”

  “Why?”

  “I was so mean to him.”

  “Pfft. Don’t even give it a second thought. He’s not that sensitive and he can be a bit of jerk himself.”

  “But…”

  “I don’t want to hear another thing about it. You are going with me to my sonogram appointment and we’re going to forget all about today. Then we’re going to come back here and pig out in front of the T.V. and catch up. Now, help me up.”

  “Shouldn’t Adonis go with you?”

  “He’s seen them plenty of times. Plus, he has to work late anyway. I can use a girl’s day out before these two are born.”

  Tatum was exhausted, but the excitement of seeing the twins on screen was amazing. She’d never really had a girlfriend before. She was a tomboy most of her life, so none of the little girls really wanted to play with her. When she met Eira while she was on vacation last year, they’d become fast friends. Both had similar upbringings, and both had jobs where they had to prove themselves constantly since the careers they chose were male dominated. She never had to explain to Eira how she felt because Eira had gone through similar situations herself.

  “So, when are you due?”

  “About a year ago.”

  Tatum laughed. “That bad huh?”

  “It’s not bad. I love being pregnant. The only bad part is everyone thinks I’m an invalid. I mean seriously, I can take care of myself. I wish people wouldn’t treat me so differently.”

  “But you are. Right now, you are carrying twins; shifter twins at that. It can’t be easy. We just want you to be as rested and healthy as you can be. I’m sure Adonis and your dad go overboard, but that’s only because they care so much about you. You’re lucky you know. Not many people are as blessed as you are.”

  “I know, I know. It’s just so frustrating not being able to do the things you really want to do.”

  “I can understand that. Just remember this is only temporary.”

  “You’re right. New subject! Let’s talk about you.”

  Tatum glanced at Eira in the passenger seat, arching a brow. “What about me?”

  “I think it’s time we find you your own guy.”

  “What about Jasper?”

  “Ew, gross. He’s my best friend, definitely not!”

  “Okay, fine. Then how about we call Gerri Wilder?”

  “Why?”

  “I think you need a strong, alpha, shifter in your life.”

  “I don’t know Eira. I’m not ready for a relationship now. I doubt I’m ready to be someone’s mate.”

  “Why not?”

  Tatum sighed. “I’m not happy with my job. I’m getting so sick of…”

  “Girl, you do not need to go into any explanations on my behalf. I get it. You know I do. Move here.”

  “What?!”

  “You heard me, move here.”

  “I can’t just pick up and leave…”

  “Sure you can. What’s holding you back? Nothing has you tied down there.”

  “I can’t just quit my job.”

  “Yes, you can. I’ll call Speed Demon’s and work something out so you can work there. They can always use a stellar mechanic. On the plus side, there are other female workers there and everyone is treated equally.”

  “I don’t know Eira…”

  “You don’t have to know. I’m making the decision for you. Besides, I can use a girlfriend out here. I’m surrounded by men all day. Most of which act like little boys. Believe me you’d be doing me a favor.”

  The thought of moving close to Eira was very appealing. She would do anything to be treated the same as a man in her profession. It just all seemed to good to be true. She would definitely give it some serious thought though. A final decision needed to be made; preferably before Eira started making calls on her behalf.

  Tatum turned her head for a quick second. “Eira…”

  Eira swung her arm out to Tatum. “Look out!”

  Slamming on the brakes, Tatum swerved and came to a dead stop. Right in front of her stood a huge, black wolf. She sat there frozen, eyes wide, and out of breath from the fear of almost crashing into it. When the panic cleared her brain, her first thought was of Eira. “Oh my God, are you okay.?”

  Eira, with her hand over her heart replied with a head nod. Then she added, “You almost ran over Jett.”

  Tatum’s shocked expression quickly switched to one of anger. “Are you fucking kidding me?!” She jumped out of the car and slammed the door behind her. “Do you want to get killed?! Are you looking to seriously injure someone else?!” She screamed at large shifter in front of her, not giving a care in the world that he could rip her to shreds if he wanted to. Jett took a few, slow steps toward her, gave her a low growl, then bolted back into the woods.

  When Tatum slid back into the driver’s seat, her heart was still pounding. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. That was a scare, wasn’t it.”

  “Jett is an asshole.”

  “He can be sometimes. But, I don’t think he’s doing it on purpose now.”

  “He’s actually a great guy.”

  “He’s going to wind up a dead guy if he keeps jumping in front of moving vehicles.”

  The rest of the drive to the doctor’s office was uneventful, thank goodness. When they got there, they sat and waited for to be called into the ultrasound room. Eira had one woman ahead of her, so they both looked through the magazines on the table to pass some time. Tatum threw the magazine she was flipping through back on the table and slumped in her seat. She closed her eyes, hoping to rest for the next few minutes, but Eira had other plans for her.

  Eira tapped on her shoulder, handing Tatum her cell phone. “Here.”

  “Why are you giving me that?”

  “To call Gerri Wilder.”

  Tatum straightened in her chair. “What on earth for?”

  “So you don’t spend the rest of your life alone. So you can have sex on regular basis. Shall I go on?”

  “I do not need help finding a boyfriend.”

  “No, you’ve had plenty of those, but have they worked out for you?”

  “Well, no.”

  “My point exactly. I think it’s time to start thinking outside the box and call PDA. Look what Gerri’s done for me.”

  “I don’t know Eira…”

  “Just do it. She knows what she’s doing. So many couples here at White Mountain have benefitted from her help.”

  Tatum reluctantly snatched the phone out of Eira’s hand. What could it hurt? If everything worked out as planned, she’d find the man who was meant just for her. Since Eira had pulled up Gerri’s number, all she had to do was press the call button. Her thumb hovered over the little green button until her brain took over and pushed it.

  “Paranormal Dating Agency. This is Gerri speaking. How can I help you Tatum?”

  “Hi Ger...wait a second. How do you know who this is?”

  “Dear, I know everything. Now, what can I do for you?”

  “I don’t know if you can do anything for me.” Tatum glanced over at Eira, who waved at her to keep talking into the phone. “I’m actually looking for…”

  “A mate. That special someone who you share your innermost secrets and desires with. A shifter who will be devoted to only you and your happiness. What you need is an alpha. A secure man who won’t be threatened by your independence and strong will. I have just the shifter for you. Are you opposed to a kind of...a blind date?”

  “Sure. What harm could it do?”

  “You won’t know anything about him. Not his occu
pation, his age, or anything. Not even his name.”

  “Okay.”

  “What I’ll do is give all the info to Eira and both she and Adonis will accompany you and your date for dinner so you won’t feel too uncomfortable.”

  “Okay, sounds good. Thank you Gerri.”

  “Don’t thank me just yet.”

  Tatum tried to respond, but Gerri had already hung up. What an odd thing to say. A nervous feeling began to churn in Tatum’s stomach and she was starting to question whether Gerri Wilder knew what she was doing. She contemplated on calling Gerri back and cancel the whole thing entirely, but Eira was being called to the back so there was no time.

  Eira walked ahead of Tatum to the room, then stepped aside to introduce her to the doctor. “Tatum, this is Dr. Theodore Drake. Everyone calls him Teddy.”

  The doctor extended his hand to Tatum and chuckled as he faced Eira. “No, everyone does not call me Teddy. That’s only you Eira.”

  “Hey, you couldn’t get a more perfect name since you’re a bear Theodore.” Eira responded in a sarcastic tone.

  “I promise not to call you Teddy.” Tatum interjected.

  Theodore smiled. “I don’t mind, really.” He dropped her hand and took Eira by the elbow. “Let’s get you checked out. Have you been resting as I have prescribed?”

  “Yes, unfortunately.” Eira made herself comfortable on the examination table and Dr. Drake squeezed some clear gel on her belly. “How much longer Doc?”

  “Should be another week, then you’ll be on your feet again before you know it.”

  Eira let out a relieved breath. “Thank God. There is no way I can go much longer without being able to fly.”

  Theodore rolled the wand from the sonogram machine over Eira’s stomach taking measurements and then pressed a button, filling the room with loud swishing sounds. Tatum glanced over at the screen. “What’s that sound?”

  “It’s the baby’s heartbeat. Well, one of them anyway.” The doctor replied. “Eira, did you change your mind about not knowing the sex of the twins?”

  Tatum interrupted excitedly. “You know what they are?”