Rain finished counting the money in the cash register, and her heart did a little sprint as she prepared the deposit. Once word spread that the alpha werewolf and his mate had chosen her bakery for their wedding cake, business had picked up within the magical community. Pack members had come trickling in over the week, buying desserts and placing orders.

Snow padded into the storefront from the kitchen. “Smiling while you’re counting money. That’s a good sign.”

Rain zipped the money bag shut and leaned against the counter. “It is. I took an order for a five-year-old werewolf’s birthday party this afternoon. When they come in tomorrow to pay, I’ll have enough for the coven fees.”

“Those werewolves are turning out to be a blessing.” Snow grinned. “Especially one werewolf in particular.”

Warmth spread through Rain’s body. Chase had met her in the park for her lunch break every day since that amazing kiss, and tonight would be his first night off. Their first official date.

Snow rearranged the cupcakes in the display case, filling in the empty spaces with items from the back. “Where’s he taking you?”

“To dinner.” She clutched the bag to her chest.

Her sister straightened. “And then?”

The heat in her body crept up to her cheeks. “He said, ‘We’ll see where the night takes us.’”

Snow wiggled her eyebrows. “That sounds promising. Are you nervous?”

Rain forced a laugh. “Me? Nervous? He’s a smokin’ hot werewolf whose kisses make me feel like a fireworks display with a very short fuse. I have nothing to be nervous about.”

Snow wiped the counter with a rag. “You’re scared.”

“Terrified.” She toyed with the zipper on the bag. “I haven’t been with a man since Isaac.” Her heart sank, a feeling of apprehension settling in her stomach like day-old meatloaf. “It’s been seven years.”

“I’m sure he’ll go easy on you.”

“I don’t think I want him to.” She fanned herself with the bag. Her date with Chase couldn’t come soon enough.

“I’m supposed to pick Rain up in an hour. Can’t someone else cover the shift?” Chase lowered his voice, using his hand to cover the phone, so his niece wouldn’t overhear his conversation with Bekah. He loved spending time with the little girl, but tonight was his date with Rain, and his sister was screwing up his plans.

“No one else can do it. I should be home in an hour and a half.” Dishes clanked in the background. “You’ll be thirty minutes late. She’ll understand.”

He ran a hand down his face, muffling his frustrated sigh. “Okay. Get your ass home as soon as possible.”

“I love you, big brother.” Her voice took on that sing-song tone it always did when she knew she owed him big-time. As a restaurant manager, her schedule tended to be erratic, but it was flexible enough to enable her to go to college at the same time. She’d be graduating at the end of the semester, so her dependence on Chase as a free babysitter should lighten up soon.

“I love you too.” He hung up the phone and glanced at Emma sitting on the floor in the living room. She smiled and clapped as the Beast in her favorite Disney movie transformed into a prince, and his heart swelled with love. There were worse reasons for being late.

He dialed Rain’s number. “Hey, cher, I’m going to be a little late for our date tonight. Someone called in sick on Bekah, and she has to cover until they can find a replacement for the shift. I’m watching Emma until she gets home.”

“How late do you think you’ll be?” The disappointment was evident in her voice.

“Could be half an hour.” He sighed. Might as well let her know what to expect from his sister. “Knowing Bekah, it could be more.”

“I see.” She paused. “I’ve already closed the shop. I could come over and keep you company…”

A pleasant ache spread through his chest, and he couldn’t fight his smile. “That’s a thoughtful offer, but I had better plans than babysitting for our first official date.”

“I don’t mind. Emma is fun, and I’d…like to spend as much time with you as possible tonight.”

The ache extended through his core. “Come on over then. Emma will be happy to see you.”

Emma’s movie ended, and he made a game of cleaning up her toys, attempting to make the place somewhat presentable for Rain. His niece squealed when the doorbell rang, and he had to jump over the coffee table to get to the door before she opened it. A week had passed with no sign of the shadow demon, but he wasn’t taking any chances when it came to Emma.

He put his hand on the knob. “What have we told you about opening the door for strangers?”

“It’s not a stranger.” She glared at him accusingly. “It’s Rain.”

“But we don’t know that unless we look out the window, do we?” He lifted her so she could see through the glass at the top of the door.

“It’s Rain. Let her in!” She kicked her legs until he set her on the floor, and she twisted the knob and swung open the door.

His fate-bound stood on the porch in jeans and a purple shirt. Her dark curls spiraled over her shoulders, and her lips curved into the most breathtaking smile he’d ever seen. She knelt to eye-level with his niece and hugged her before standing and kissing him on the cheek. She stepped back and held his gaze as his heart galloped in his chest. “Are you going to stand there staring at me all evening, or are you going to invite me in?”

“Come in!” Emma tugged her through the doorway, and he followed them into the living room, where Rain settled onto the couch next to his niece.

“You be Belle, and I’ll be the Beast.” Emma handed Rain a doll and began setting up a scene of other toys on the coffee table.

Chase sank onto the sofa next to Rain. “You don’t have to do that if you don’t want to.”

She scooted closer to him, so the length of her thigh rested against his, and held the doll up to her face. “I don’t mind. She kinda looks like me, don’t you think?”

He couldn’t help himself. Emma had her back turned, so he leaned in and gave Rain a quick kiss. Everything this woman did wrapped him tighter around her finger. She was smart, independent, brave, and beautiful, and she was amazing with his niece. Even if his wolf hadn’t claimed her the moment he met her, he wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from falling for Rain. She was everything he never knew he wanted.

They played with Emma for the next half-hour, stealing glances at each other as Belle and Beast went on their adventure. Every time Rain’s stormy eyes met his, his pulse quickened. His phone buzzed, and he dug it out of his pocket to find a text from Bekah. He bit back the curse that tried to slip from his lips and tossed the phone on the table.

“What’s wrong?” Rain had moved to the floor during their play session, so she settled onto the sofa next to him.

“Bekah isn’t going to be home until nine. I’m sorry. If you want to leave and reschedule, I understand.” Damn his sister. She knew how important this date was to him.

Emma froze. “Don’t leave.”

Rain smiled at her. “I’m not going to.” She laced her arm around Chase’s bicep and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m having too much fun.”

“Yay!” Emma leaped from the floor and scurried out of the room.

He arched an eyebrow skeptically. “Seriously?”

“I like spending time with you, and the anticipation of getting you alone will make it that much better when it happens.” She ran a hand along his inner thigh, stopping halfway up.

His stomach tightened, and he took a deep breath, trying to control the urge to lay her back on the sofa and have his way with her right then and there. He leaned close and touched his lips to her ear. “The anticipation might be the death of me.”

He nipped her lobe, and a visible shiver ran through her entire body as her grip tightened on his thigh.

“A little delayed gratification will be good for you.” She rose as Emma shuffled into the room, her arms full of coloring books.

“I’m hungry, Uncle Chase.”

“I guess I could feed you ladies dinner since we’re stuck here all evening.” He’d planned to take Rain to his favorite Italian restaurant in the Garden District. Then they’d go for a ride on his bike so he could feel her supple body against his, her arms wrapped around his waist. Something about having her on the back of his bike—and the fact she enjoyed riding it—turned him on to no end.

But it would have to wait. Delayed gratification, she’d called it. He planned to gratify her until she screamed his name.

He shook his head to chase away the thoughts. “How about a pizza?”

“I want mac and cheese.” Emma dropped the coloring books on the kitchen table and dragged Rain to a chair.

He followed them into the kitchen. “Don’t you think we should offer our guest something a little more…substantial than mac and cheese?”

His niece poked out her bottom lip. “But you make the best mac and cheese in the world. Don’t you want to impress your girlfriend?”

He sucked in a breath to respond, but he couldn’t get the words past the lump in his throat. He did consider Rain his girlfriend. Hell, he was on a mission to make her his mate, but they hadn’t discussed the terms of their relationship yet. He caught Rain’s gaze, preparing to apologize, but the look in her eyes stopped him cold.

So much heat emanated from her gaze that it felt like she’d stripped him bare and made love to him with her eyes. Her full lips tugged into a sly smile, and when she slipped her tongue out to moisten them, his knees nearly buckled. “Yeah, Chase.” She leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms. “Don’t you want to impress your girlfriend?”

His heart slammed against his ribs. Was that a confirmation? “I…” Get it together, man. “Let me see if I have the ingredients.” He turned around and opened the fridge, hoping the chilled air would cool the heat from his cheeks. It didn’t.

He rummaged through the drawers and found the cheddar, gouda, and Colby jack, but the only meat they had in the house was hot dogs. He couldn’t feed his girlfriend hot dogs.

With his arms full of ingredients, he shut the fridge door with his knee. “You ladies are in luck. I’ve got all the supplies for my world famous three-cheese mac and cheese, complete with hotdogs for the little one.”

Emma stopped coloring and glared at him. “I’ll share my hotdogs with Rain.”

“That’s okay.” Rain patted her shoulder. “I’m a vegetarian. I don’t eat meat.”

Emma scratched her head as if the idea confounded her. “I eat meat. So does Uncle Chase. He catches deer and alligators and sometimes wild hogs…”

“Okay.” He dropped a pot onto the stove, hoping the loud clank of metal on metal would stop his niece from going into the details of a werewolf diet. “Yes, I eat meat.” He looked at Rain. “Is that going to be a problem?”

“I wouldn’t expect a werewolf to be a vegetarian. In fact, I would find it rather strange if you were.”

“Good.” He held her gaze a little longer, building the anticipation, sweetening the gratification his sister had delayed. The things he planned to do to his girlfriend…

He busied himself with his culinary masterpiece, which wasn’t much more than some melted cheese and heavy whipping cream mixed with elbow pasta, while Rain entertained his niece with the coloring books. Half an hour later, he carried three heaping bowls of mac and cheese to the table. “Take your stuff to the bedroom, squirt. It’s time to eat.”

Emma dutifully scooped up all the coloring books and crayons and scurried out of the kitchen as Chase sat in the seat next to Rain.

She picked up her fork and swirled it around in the bowl. “Smells delicious.”

“I’m sorry it’s not the romantic dinner I promised you.”

She reached under the table to rest her hand on his knee. “You cooked for me. I call that romantic.” She parted her lips and slipped the fork into her mouth, closing her eyes before sliding it out.

His mouth watered as her jaw flexed, the muscles in her throat moving up and down as she swallowed the food. The woman made eating mac and cheese look sexy. If his sister didn’t come home soon so he could get Rain alone, he might spontaneously combust.

“I could be a jerk like you were and find something wrong with it…but I won’t.”

He chuckled. “I’d call suggesting I mate with a goat a jerk thing to say, but who am I to split hairs?”

She glared at him, but the corner of her mouth tugged into a grin. “It’s the best mac and cheese I’ve ever eaten.”

“I told you it was good.” Emma climbed into her chair and tore into her dinner as if she hadn’t eaten all day.

By the time they finished eating and washed the dishes, the front door swung open and Bekah strutted in. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”

“Mommy!” Emma ran to her mom and hugged her.

“Let’s go pack a bag,” Bekah said. “We’re having a sleepover at Grandma’s.”

Chase arched an eyebrow at his sister. “A sleepover?”

“I owed you one. Now we’re even.” She followed Emma into the bedroom.

He pulled Rain into his arms. “Finally, some alone time.”

She laughed and gave him a quick kiss before pushing him away. “We aren’t alone yet. Wait until Emma’s gone.”

“What?” He took both her hands in his and looked into her eyes. “It’s good for her to see a man treating his girlfriend right.”

“Hmm…” She stepped closer. “You think you’re treating me right?”

He rested his forehead against hers. “Am I?”

She smiled. “So right.”

“Okay, we are getting out of your hair.” Bekah slung a bag over her shoulder and tugged Emma toward the front door.

“Here, Rain, this is for you.” Emma handed her a picture from her coloring book.

“Thank you, Emma. That’s so sweet of you.” Rain took the page and showed it to Chase.

“It’s Belle and the Beast,” Emma said. “Like you and Uncle Chase.”

“See you tomorrow, squirt.” He mussed her hair as she passed.

Bekah and Emma left, and Rain leaned against the counter and set the picture on the surface. “Does your mom live close by?”

“She’s got a place in Algiers. Not too far away.”

She chewed her bottom lip and fidgeted with her hands as if being alone with him suddenly made her nervous. “Does she live by herself?”

“Yes.” What happened to the flirtation and that promise of gratification?

“She never remarried? Or…” She furrowed her brow. “Was she not allowed to remarry? I’m not sure how it works with werewolves.”

Ah, it was the girlfriend comment. Werewolf relationships could seem complicated to someone on the outside; he could understand her confusion. He leaned on the counter next to her. “When a werewolf takes a mate, it’s for life. Since my dad died, she is allowed to find a new mate, but…” He took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

“But?”

“He was her fate-bound. If a werewolf gets the opportunity to mate with their fate-bound, no one else will ever do. That’s a bond that can never be broken or replaced.”

Something sparked in her eyes. They widened briefly, a look of…recognition…flashing in her gaze before she furrowed her brow. His pulse thrummed. Could she possibly feel the same bond that tied him to her more strongly every day?

Bringing his hand up to her lips, she kissed it. “What is a fate-bound?”

“A fate-bound is your soulmate. The one you’re meant to be with forever. It’s a feeling we get, deep within our souls, that we can’t deny. Our wolves usually recognize it first.” He chuckled. “Sometimes it takes our human minds a while to catch up.”

“I see.” She wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest.

He held his breath, waiting for her to ask the question that had to be burning in her mind. Could he bring himself to tell her she was his if she asked? Would the truth scare her away?

She didn’t speak. Instead, she hugged him tighter. Maybe she was afraid of what his answer would be.

He kissed the top of her head, and his tension eased. Maybe after a few more dates. He’d have to tell her eventually, and all he could do was hope she could love him in return. “It’s early enough to go out if you want to catch a movie or something.”

She inhaled deeply, running her hands up and down his back before leaning away to look at him. “Your sister went out of her way to give us privacy. It would be a shame to waste the opportunity…and I believe you owe me my prize for not being able to break Snow’s protection spell.”

“I like the way you think.” Cupping her cheek in his hand, he ran his thumb over her velvet-soft skin. She nuzzled into his touch, closing her eyes, letting him pull her close.

She parted her lips slightly and angled her face toward his. That was all the invitation he needed. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he crushed his mouth to hers. She responded, opening her mouth to let him in, brushing her tongue against his. Heat flashed through his body as she melted into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him, holding him tight.

She felt so damn good in his arms, her silky hair tangled between his fingers. Ever since his niece had been born, dating—and women in general—had taken a backseat to responsibility. He’d quit sleeping around the moment he saw what the consequences could be. Making love to Rain wouldn’t be sleeping around, though. She was the only woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.

Standing in the kitchen, with her curvy body rubbing against his, her lips searing him with kisses, he couldn’t deny himself anymore. He wanted this woman. He needed her.

Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her forehead, her cheek, her mouth. He parted his lips to ask if she wanted to join him the bedroom, but the words didn’t get a chance to leave his throat before she tugged his shirt over his head and ran her palms down his chest.

“Nipple rings.” She licked her lips. “Can I play with them?”

Good God. Who knew something as simple as the aroused look on her face could nearly bring him to his knees. “They’re all yours.”

She danced her fingers across his skin, taking each ring between her thumb and forefinger and tugging gently. Electricity shot from his nipples to his dick, hardening him even more.

“Does it hurt when I pull on them?” She tugged again, watching his face intently.

“No.” Damn. Breathless already? “It feels good.”

She grinned. “Really?” A wickedly mischievous look flashed in her dark-gray eyes, and she lowered her head to his chest and flicked out her tongue. Warm moisture bathed his right nipple, and he couldn’t help but groan.

Biting her bottom lip in that oh so sexy way of hers, she glanced up at him before moving to his left nipple. She lifted the ring with her tongue, then sucked it into her mouth.

His breath caught in his throat, his entire body humming with desire. If she could get him this turned on by taking his shirt off, he was in for a wild ride.

She released his nipple and glided her tongue up his chest before straightening. “You’re so sexy, Chase. Your tattoos and piercings… Your body alone is a ten, but then add in your personality, and…” She grinned. “You’re a nice guy wrapped in a bad boy package. The best of both worlds.”

His chest tightened. She knew everything about his past, yet she still found him attractive. How did he get so lucky? “I wasn’t always a nice guy.”

“But you are now.” She focused on his tattoos, running her hands up and down his arms, tracing the lines on the drawings. “Our pasts don’t define us. Who we are now is all that matters.” She looked into his eyes, holding his gaze, waiting for confirmation.

“I agree.”

She traced a finger up his arm, indicating his tattoos. “Do they all have meaning?”

“Some do; some don’t.” He held his arms in front of him and looked at the ink. Full-color drawings ranging from traditional flash art to custom-made designs joined together to create intricate sleeves on both arms. “A buddy of mine is a tattoo artist. When he was starting up, I let him practice on me.”

Her gaze traveled up and down his arms as she traced her fingers along the art. “That’s nice of you.”

He shrugged. “He needed a canvas; I like ink. We take care of our own.” Running his hands over her hips, he toyed with the hem of her shirt. “My turn.” He tugged her shirt over her head and tossed it on the table before stepping back to admire her.

A lacey, emerald-green bra wrapped around her full breasts, accentuating her slender waist. His fingers twitched with the urge to touch her, so he lifted his hands slowly and reached for her. She inhaled deeply as he ran a finger over the top of her breast, tracing the contour of her bra. Goose bumps rose on her skin.

“You, Rain, are the epitome of sexy. A beautiful soul wrapped in an equally beautiful package.”

The muscles in her throat worked as she swallowed. Then, she straightened her spine and unhooked her bra, letting it fall to the floor.

Her perfect breasts beckoned him to taste them, so he cupped them both in his hands, leaned down, and took her nipple into his mouth. She gasped and clutched the edge of the countertop, and he moved to the other breast, circling his tongue around her nipple, hardening it into a perfect, pink pearl before sucking it between his teeth.

A high-pitched mewling sound escape her throat, and he paused. Straightening, he moved his hands to her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Do you want to stop?”

“No. Goddess, no. It’s…” She lowered her gaze before blinking up at him. “It’s been a long time since anyone has touched me like this.”

He pulled her close, and the feel of her soft, bare skin pressed to his nearly crumbled him. If the intensity of his emotions was any indication of what was to come, he might not survive making love to Rain. He hadn’t known it was possible to feel this much. “It’s been a long time since I’ve touched anyone like this. We’ll take it slow.”

She nodded and nuzzled into his chest.

He stood in the kitchen, holding her, letting the idea of what they were about to do sink in. This would be so much more than sex for him, but he only wanted it if she did too. “Do you want to move to the bedroom?”

She paused, going utterly still for a heartbeat or two before looking up at him. “I do.”

He held her gaze, giving her ample opportunity to change her mind. “Are you sure?”

“I’ve wanted you since the moment I met you. Take me to bed.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the kitchen. “This is what’s called a shotgun house.” He stepped into his sister’s bedroom. “If you open all the doors, you could shoot a shotgun from the front door, and it would go all the way out the back door.”

“Interesting.”

“Problem is, we have to go through Bekah and Emma’s room to get to mine. Not much privacy.” He opened the door to his bedroom and carried her inside.

She grinned. “I guess you don’t get a lot of action then.”

He chuckled. “Not since Emma was born.”

“Your sister taking her to your mom’s was quite a gesture then.”

He lowered her feet to the floor and kissed her before stepping toward his dresser. “She knows how I feel about you.” He took a condom from the drawer and tossed it on the nightstand.

Rain sat on the bed and ran her hands over the comforter. “How do you feel about me?”

He looked at the beautiful woman on his bed, her breasts rising and falling with each breath she took, and he ached with emotion. The words nearly spilled from his lips, but he bit them back. It was too soon to tell her how strongly he felt. He stood in front of her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”

“You’re pretty amazing, yourself.” She kissed his stomach, trailing her tongue down, past his navel, to his jeans. His stomach tensed, a fresh flood of desire rushing to his groin, and he tightened his grip on her shoulders.

Moving her hands to his hips, she traced a finger along the waistband of his pants. “I believe I’m supposed to decide if there’s anything little about the werewolf I’m about to make love to.”

“Be my guest.”

She popped the button on his jeans and slid the zipper down. Pushing his pants to the floor, she stared at the bulge in his underwear, her pupils dilating with desire. “So far so good.”

He couldn’t take it anymore. Kicking his jeans aside, he tugged her to her feet. His dick ached to fill her. His wolf begged to claim her. Why the hell had he told her they’d take it slow?

She ran her hands over his body, and every muscle he had tightened with need. As she glided her palm over his underwear and gripped his dick through the fabric, he closed his eyes and let out his breath in a slow hiss.

“Take these off.” She released her hold and stepped back, her gaze locking on his crotch.

He obeyed, dropping his underwear to the floor. Her eyes widened, and she wrapped her silky fingers around his cock and touched her lips to his ear. “Definitely nothing little about this werewolf.” She gave him a stroke, and his entire body shuddered.

Holy hell, he had to have this woman. He took her in his arms and kissed her as if she were the water to his insatiable thirst. The air to his lungs.

She released her hold on his dick to grip his shoulders, tugging him on top of her as she fell to the bed. He moved against her, but the coarse fabric of her jeans wasn’t the sensation he needed to feel.

Rolling to his side, he continued exploring her mouth with his tongue as he unbuttoned her jeans. Rising onto his knees, he tore his lips from hers to work her clothing over her hips and toss the remaining garments onto the floor.

The woman of his dreams lay in his bed, gloriously naked and reaching for him. “Make love to me, Chase. I need you.”

He lay beside her and kissed her, trailing his lips down her neck, nipping at her collarbone, reveling in her intoxicatingly feminine scent. She smelled like a meadow, with a warm, cinnamony undercurrent that was all Rain.

Her breath hitched as he glided his hand down her stomach, and when he stroked her soft folds, she let out a satisfied “Mmm.” He slipped a finger inside her, and she moaned. She was tight and wet, and he couldn’t hold back any longer.

Grabbing the condom from the nightstand, he tossed the wrapper aside and rolled the rubber down his shaft. She watched him as he moved on top of her and propped himself on his hands, her gaze never straying from his as he settled his hips between her legs and pressed himself against her opening.

Her eyes bore into his soul as he filled her, became one with her, and a deep shudder ran through his entire body. He lowered his chest to hers and held still, memorizing the way she felt wrapped around him, squeezing him. She held his body, heart, and soul in her arms.

He pulled out until only his tip remained inside her, and he roamed his lips over her shoulder, up her neck to find her mouth. Sliding back in slowly, he reveled in the way she gripped his back, the soft moans vibrating from her throat. He took his time making love to her, cherishing her.

He had to move slowly or the overwhelming emotions of joining with his fate-bound, giving himself to his soulmate, would’ve ended this way too soon. If he could have paused time and made this moment last forever, he would have. The tremor in his soul told him his wolf agreed.

“Oh, Chase. This feels so good.” The breathless sound of his name on her lips thrilled him, and he couldn’t help but increase his rhythm. She arched her back to take him deeper as he thrusted harder, his need growing stronger.

She hooked her legs behind his thighs and gripped his ass, guiding him faster and harder until she tossed her head back and let out the most beautiful moan he’d ever heard. She quivered around him, invoking her goddess and his name in the same breath.

He let go, giving himself to her. His orgasm exploded through his entire body as he pumped his hips, wave after wave of searing ecstasy burning through his veins. No woman had ever felt so good, so perfect in his arms.

As his climax subsided, he rose onto his elbows to look at his fate-bound. She would be his mate. She had to be. His wolf had claimed her, and now it felt as if an unbreakable cord ran from his heart to hers.

Her brow furrowed. Did she feel the strange connection too? Taking his face in her hands, she looked at him with a fierceness in her eyes. “You are mine.”

She had no idea…