Just Ridley: Chosen Book 1 Read online

  I'll admit my thoughts were a bit scattered by the mere fact that my mate was actually standing there, staring up at me with those beautiful whiskey eyes. Had he said something about not being "all that?"

  "Ridley, do you know what a mate is?" I asked him, loving that he was only a couple inches shorter than my 6’6" height, so I could breathe in the scent of his breath.

  I also loved that he seemed transfixed as he silently shook his head no. "I assume you don’t mean, like boyfriend or partner, because yeah." He chuckled as he looked away and down, but it sounded bitter and made my leopard hiss.

  Grabbing his chin to pull his face back around to mine, I turned his head, intending on correcting his assumption and showing him just how wrong he was about his desirability with my mouth, but my second chose that moment to stand up and yowl.

  I turned quickly, watching as her shifted, angry eyes focused on my mate, and then she was leaping through the air.

  Moving faster than I had ever seen him, Bennet spun, reaching out and catching the angry woman around the throat and slamming her into the floor with enough force to knock the breath out of her. It had all been so fast. He probably hadn’t even had time to think about the repercussions of body slamming Abby. She was his superior. But as three other’s grabbed him and dragged him back, I watched realization come over his face. "I’m sorry, Alpha. I thought she was going after Ridley."

  At the same time, Abby shifted and took off out the front door, causing me to lift Ridley off the floor so she didn’t knock him down.

  I watched in shock for a second as the three soldiers manhandled a non-resisting Bennet, like they were going to take him to the floor. "Stop!" I shouted at them, finally coming out of my bafflement. "He was defending my mate. He was doing as I would have had any of you do. From this moment forward, Ridley’s life is to be put before anyone else’s in the leap. Including mine."

  Realizing I was still holding a shocked Ridley in the air, I slowly lowered him to the ground, placing a small kiss to his furrowed brow. He gasped, blinking his eyes, clearly getting more confused by the second.

  Bennet was quickly released and he moved in closer to my mate and me, fear evident in his eyes. "Was I right? Was she going after Ridley?"

  "Yes. I believe she was." Reaching out, I placed my hand on Bennet’s shoulder, hoping to express my gratitude. "From this moment forward, you are to guard the alpha-mate. When I’m not with him, you are. At least until we find Abby and figure out what set her off and see if it can be fixed. I don’t think I have to tell you how important this job is. But since you already care deeply for him, I feel like you are the right person for this job. Thank you for protecting my boy."

  "Of course, Alpha," Bennet whispered bowing his head slightly in acknowledgment.

  "Take him to my room and stay with him. I’m going to take some soldiers and see if we can’t hunt her down."

  Again Bennet bowed his head, moving to stand next to my mate, ready to lead him up the stairs to my room.

  Ridley still stood with his side pressed into mine, where I hadn’t released him after putting him down. He was nibbling his bottom lip while he looked to be trying to go over everything that had happened and not coming up with an answer that made sense.

  I Just couldn’t believe this beautiful creature hadn’t put together yet that I was claiming him. Very much in the boyfriend-mate type way. I guess it was time to be a bit more forward.

  Cupping the side of his face, I brought his eyes around to meet mine, smiling while he blinked like he was trying to rid his eyes of the fog. "Follow Bennet, my sweet gingerbread boy. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you."

  And then I pressed my lips to his, smiling against them when he gasped. I nearly pressed my advantage and licked inside his mouth, but I didn’t want to embarrass him after such a shocking night. But gawd, the sweet taste of my mate was like a zap to my entire body. If I didn’t pull back soon, I wouldn’t be able to walk away until we were both sated.

  "I’ll be up in a few hours," I said huskily against his lips. "Try to get some sleep."

  I could smell the arousal coming from my sweet mate and I’m sure everyone in the room could smell mine as well. But I just couldn’t control myself. The mere thought of plundering my mates mouth with my own was turning me on more than anything ever had. I didn’t even want to begin to imagine what licking a path along his pale, freckled body would do to me.

  I growled and pressed my forehead to Ridley’s as I realized it was too late. I was literally moments away from coming in my own pants just from a thought. I was a fucking alpha for goodness’ sake. I was supposed to have more control than this.

  "Hurry Bennet, get him away from me before I embarrass everyone in this room."

  Nodding quickly, Bennet snagged Ridley’s wrist, dragging him toward the stairs while I squeezed my hands into fists until I thought I was going to break my own knuckles.

  "Why didn’t you or Bunny tell me he was your alpha," Ridley whispered when they were halfway up the stairs, clearly forgetting how good a shifter’s hearing was. "She knew how ridiculously obsessed I’ve been with him from the very beginning, but all she did was sit around and laugh when I clotheslined myself on open cabinet doors or nearly put my entire hand in a vat of fry oil, or my personal favorite, when I stuck my foot in the mop bucket and then slipped around the kitchen like a baby deer on ice for a minute and a half while your mother laughed so hard she almost peed her pants." He took a breath, reaching out to punch Bennet in the shoulder. "And don’t act like she didn’t tell you. You guys talk everyday."

  Bennet was clearly trying not to laugh when he said, "She told me you were wrecking her kitchen like a clumsy idiot over some guy, but she never mentioned it was Flynn."

  "Bennet," I said on a warning growl. "Don’t call my mate and idiot."

  Ridley froze on the steps, glancing over his shoulder at me with wide eyes and a blush that spread from his ears and cheeks down his neck, whispering, "Did they seriously just hear everything I just said."

  "That would be why I was trying to nudge you to get you to shut up."

  Groaning, Ridley faced forward and slowly made his way the rest of the way up the stairs. "Oh gawd. Why am I the most embarrassing human on the face of the planet?"

  Bennet glanced at me with a mischievous grin on his face. "I would tell you why, but I’m afraid to get mauled by my alpha."

  "Shut up, or the next time you shift, I’ll take a wad of duct tape and stick it to your belly."

  Laughing at the two while they continued to bicker, I turned toward the door, already stripping. Time to go find my wayward, now ex-second and decide if I was going to have to kill her.

  ***

  I watched my beautiful mate sleep, curled up to my pillow and smiling sweetly in his sleep. How could someone who embodied perfection not see how desirable he was? All it had taken was one look through that window the first time I had seen him to want him. And that was even before I’d caught his scent on the plate that was later served to me, and known he was my mate.

  I had been so pleased with what God had deemed mine, I’d almost snagged him up that day and claimed him. Except, I’d seen by way of him yelling obscenities after dropping a pot on his foot while trying to run from my sight, and catching his apron on the handle, pulling the thing off the counter, just how skittish my little gingerbread mouse was. Thankfully, he’d been about to put the thing through the washer, so it hadn’t been hot.

  But finally, I’d been given an opportunity to get closer to my mate. A chance to talk to the shy boy and show him just how beautiful and special he was.

  I considered putting on some pajama bottoms before crawling into bed with my mate, but what better way to show the man what he did to me, than letting him see with his very own eyes when he no doubt woke up in my arms. And if he happened to like what he saw? Well, that would put us one step closer to me claiming him, now wouldn’t it?

  Smiling, despite the fact th
at Abby was still out there somewhere, possibly being a threat to my precious mate, I climbed in the bed and pulled my delicious smelling ginger into my arms, moaning a bit, when he seemed to sink into my body, before pressing his ass harder into my growing erection.

  Clearly, it was going to be a long, sleepless night for me.

  ***

  I was so comfortable wrapped completely around my mate that it took me more time than I'd like to admit, but still, I knew before I opened my eyes, Ridley was awake, aroused and about two seconds away from having a panic attack.

  With my sleep muddled brain, there was a moment when I was sure Abby had come back and was about to attack my mate, but as I jumped from the bed, already searching the room with a growl on my lips, I realized I definitely would have smelled the woman had she been in the room with my mate and me.

  Turning back to the bed, I found my mate, trying to look anywhere but at me. Trying, but definitely failing. When the clear smell of his arousal lit my body up through my nose, his gaze finally snagged and held on my cock as it grew. The more he watched it, the harder it got and the stronger his scent got.

  "Did you find something you like, my mate?" I asked as I slowly made my way back to the bed.

  Ridley’s eyes widened and his face turned bright red as he met my gaze. He shook his head furiously from side to side, never breaking eye contact. Did he think I was going to be mad because he was checking me out?

  Smiling, I leaned over the bed, placing my fists on either side of his hips where he sat slouched against the headboard. "Are you sure?" I whispered against his mouth, watching his eyes watch my mouth.

  He squeaked, closing his eyes. "Please don’t be mad. I probably should have told you I was gay. I’m sure you wouldn’t have kissed me or lain in bed naked with me if you would have known, but in my defense, I thought it was kind of obvious. Not that I’m like a twink or anything. I’m definitely not pretty enough for that, or short enough. But I kinda do get caught staring at you all the time. And I know you overheard what I said to Benny last night, which let me tell you how embarrassing that was. I mean, even if you were gay, I’m not really, uh…anyone’s type. But––"

  He stopped to take a breath, and that was when I struck. I kissed him hard, barely pausing to enjoy the plumpness of his lips before I was driving my tongue in deep.

  Even with morning breath, my gingerbread mouse was sweet and delicious. I expected hesitation, since every interaction I’d ever had with him, he’d been super shy, but after the initial moment of shock at practically being mauled, he moaned and grabbed two handfuls of my hair, arching up to thrust his tongue as far into my mouth as possible.

  The sounds he made were the most erotic things I’d ever heard. The slow, deep thrusting of his tongue against mine had my eyes rolling back in my head and my leopard growling against his mouth. Before I even knew I was moving, my usually timid little mouse flipped me onto my back on the bed and straddled my hips, leaning down to nibble along my jaw and neck, while grinding his cock against mine through his jeans.

  I arched against him, letting my cat out to play a bit, knowing we were both finally where we’d been dying to be for months. But we both wanted him naked. Wanted to taste every inch of his freckled skin.

  Reaching up, I stripped his shirt over his head and almost died. Pale, bespeckled skin covered lean, surprisingly corded muscle. His pale pink nipples were beaded and pouty, just begging to be sucked. Cinnamon colored hair led from his bellybutton down into his pants and I couldn’t stop my self from reaching out and giving it a gentle tug.

  Hot, hungry, darkened whiskey eyes watched my face as I caressed my callused hands up his ribs and over the swell of his pecs to graze lightly against his hardened nubs. My sweet boy groaned and ground down on my cock with a lazy roll of his hips, making precum pour from my dick onto my stomach.

  His eyes narrowed in on the string of fluid filling my navel, and dragged two fingers through it, before bringing it to his mouth and sucking them in. The sight he made. I nearly spilled when he moaned around his fingers, letting his head lull back as he ground down again on my leaking dick.

  I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to taste him. And I needed those fucking jeans gone.

  I flipped him, immediately going for his nipples as I undid his pants. I lathed my tongue over one, earning myself a writhing mate that I had to wrestle a little to get his pants down even a little over his perfect little bubble butt and engorged, drooling, bright red dick.

  As soon as I had those damn jeans off his long, leanly muscled legs, I had to just stop for a minute and stare at the gorgeous man lying under me. "Gawd, you’re perfect," I whispered fervently, skimming my hands along his smooth skin.

  For a human, he was very cat-like, pushing his body into my hands everywhere I touched him. He seemed completely senseless. He was only sensation and need. Skin flushed and body writhing. His legs were in constant motion as he dragged his feet along the blankets, widening and closing his legs.

  When I caught a glimpse of his tight, pink hole, I had to get my mouth back on him again. I nipped at the nipple I had neglected earlier, making him do that squeak thing I always found so damn adorable. Nibbling my way down, I moved along the slight ridges of his abs, nipping at the skin and licking into his belly button.

  Finally, I reached the precum painting the flame of his happy trail. It was like delicious, sweet and salty nectar. I moaned, rubbing my face against his stomach. He bucked, clearly wanting me to pay attention to his well-endowed equipment.

  My little mouse wasn’t so meek after all. Smiling, I sucked him deep in one go, loving the way he thrust himself into my throat, making me gag slightly.

  "Fuck, Flynn."

  He was so close. His beautiful body a writhing, twitching bundle. I pressed my constantly leaking cock against the sheets beneath me as I took him deep again, loving the exotic show before me and needing the friction desperately.

  Suddenly, his body bowed off the bed, his voice squeaking so hard, it cut out completely. Hot cum shot down my throat, and my world exploded with the essence of my mate on my tongue.

  The orgasm that took me was unlike anything I have ever felt in my entire two hundred, thirty-two years of life. It ripped me apart and put me back together again.

  When I finally settled back into myself, I was lying with my head on my mate’s stomach, while he snored softly above me. I looked over his body again, smiling at the sated beauty that was my mate. My mate! It was still hard to believe I had finally gotten him in my bed.

  Scooting up the bed, I glanced at the clock. Happy to see it was only four, I pulled my perfect mate into my arms and settled in to sleep another two hours. I’d have to go into the shop like usual, but maybe I could talk my little gingerbread mouse into going with me.

  I could definitely get used to having my mate by my side at all times.

  CHAPTER THREE

  That wasn’t my alarm. My eyes blinked open and then widened when I came face to nipple with a very broad, slightly fuzzy, tattooed and bronzed chest.

  What the hell?

  The body under me moved, reaching sideways to turn off the alarm, and that’s when I realized I was not only lying completely on top of this person with my feet hanging off the bed because I was really too tall to be blanketing someone, but I was also butt ass naked and rock hard.

  "What time do you have to go into the work today, baby?" Warm, strong arms wrapped around me. I knew that voice. Did that mean the arms around me were Flynn’s?

  Slowly, so not to scare the man beneath me when he realized who was draped across him, I looked up that sculpted, perfect chest, up the strong column of his bronzed throat, and into those beautiful green almost yellow eyes.

  His smile was blinding and as the panic started to recede while he looked at me in the eyes and didn’t throw me off him and start beating the hell out of me, things from our amazing encounter in the middle of the night started coming back to me. Along with the feel of his erection
pressing into my stomach at that very moment.

  "It was real?" Wow, sometimes I really could be a freaking idiot.

  Flynn’s chuckle vibrated against me, warming me. "And the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced in my whole life."

  "Really?" I asked, baffled. "Are you sure?"

  Again, Flynn laughed, cupping the side of my head and pulling so I slid up his body. My erection rubbed up his thigh until it settled along side his, making us both moan. "Are you saying you didn’t think much of our lovemaking last night? Because I’m starting to wonder if I should be getting offended."

  "No! It was amazing." I blushed, licked my lips and swallowed, noticing his eyes followed my tongue. "I just don’t have much experience. So, I wouldn’t think I had all that much to offer."

  Flynn blinked at me, looking a bit shocked right before heat filled his eyes. "Are you kidding me? Okay, you are freaking hot as hell in my bed. Does it make me an asshole that I'm glad you haven't been spreading all this perfection around to others?"

  "Wow. Uh. No?" There I went again with the uhs, but I really just had nothing to say to that. He enjoyed having me in his bed. Hell, the fact that I’d been in his bed was enough to blow my poor little mind at this point.

  Brushing his lips against mine, he said, "You didn’t answer my question. I have to go into the shop, but I was going to take you by your house to get more clothes and then take you to work with me until you had to go to the diner. Do you think you’d like to go hang out with me at the shop?"

  "You really want to spend more time with me?"

  "Definitely," he said before pulling my mouth to his.

  His kiss was both exciting and soothing. It was like climbing into bed with fresh sheets or finding a twenty in your pocket when you weren’t expecting it. But like, a hundred times better.

  "Gawd, Rid. I’m never going to get enough of you." He ground his cock against mine almost painfully, but so, so good.