The Wallflower Read online

  “Jimmy was Emma’s boyfriend until about four months ago when he had to leave town to deal with some family issues. Rumor has it he’s headed back this way any day now. Who knows? He might give you some competition!”

  Emma groaned and put her head in her hands as Max’s attention swung back towards her. “We broke up two months before he left town, Mrs. Roman.”

  “Not to hear Jimmy tell it, you didn’t,” Mrs. Roman replied with a laugh.

  “I’ll just have to make sure Jimmy knows Emma’s taken.” Max’s hands went to his hips as he took in Emma’s red cheeks and guilty eyes.

  Mrs. Roman cackled with glee; she was the biggest gossip in town, and Max had just handed her a prime piece to chew on.

  “Can you do me a favor, Mrs. Roman? Can you wait to tell anyone that Emma and I are together until the masquerade party on Saturday? We want to surprise a few people.” Max smiled down at the elderly woman, using all of his not inconsiderable charm.

  “Those few people being Olivia Patterson and Belinda Campbell?” When Max merely shrugged, Mrs. Roman grinned. “Max, anything that will make Livia and Belinda squirm is okay by me. But…” she wagged her finger under his nose, ignoring his little boy grin, “…you have only until Saturday!”

  She was so happy she forgot to wait around and pick out the frames for her new glasses, heading straight out the door with an absent wave good-bye. Emma knew the story of Max’s declaration would be all over town by mid-afternoon Saturday. She stared right at a smug Max, torn between laughing and screaming. “Happy, Captain Caveman?”

  Adrian’s choked laugh and Lisa’s snort of amusement broke the tie. Emma laughed up at Max, who was still grinning like a schoolboy.

  “You okay to close up, Adrian?”

  “Can you give me just five minutes before you head out? I have a question about Mr. Davis.”

  Max looked over at Emma, who was practically dancing in her seat, and back at Adrian. He nodded, clearly torn. “Hey, Emma? Can you wait in here for me? I’ll just be a few minutes, okay?”

  Emma huffed and followed him into an examination room. He kissed her quickly and closed the door behind him. The room was typical of eye exam rooms everywhere, with a black examination chair and all of the equipment surrounding it. A desk sat in one corner of the room off to the side of the chair. A mirror on one wall showed the letter “E” when she turned the lights off.

  Emma paced, her skin twitching. She rubbed her arms briskly, trying not to scratch. She felt like she could peel her own skin off. Sure enough, when she looked down at her hands she saw claws where her nails should be.

  “Ah, hell.” She ran to the mirror and looked in it. Gold eyes stared back at her. She licked her lips, feeling the edges of fangs as her tongue went back in her mouth. Scenes from Teen Wolf were going through her mind as she desperately tried to stay human.

  She gave up when the fur started sprouting.

  Max entered the examination room, not terribly surprised to see the Puma in his examination chair. The cat was sitting in a pair of blue jeans and a red lightweight sweater, the same clothes Emma had been wearing when she entered the office. It looked adorably pissed.

  Max leaned against the doorjamb and sighed, desperately trying not to laugh. “I told you not to go into work today.”

  She snarled at him. She kept snarling at him as he untangled her from her clothes. She quietly snarled at him as he led her to his SUV, which he pulled in behind the office so he could sneak her into it. She snarled the whole way out of town.

  She was still snarling at him when he led her into the woods. She stopped snarling when he got naked. When he changed, she began purring.

  With a playful flick of her tail she invited him to chase her.

  She purred loudest of all when he caught her.

  Chapter Six

  “You expect me to wear that?” Emma looked at the picture on the bag of the most incredibly X-rated (okay, maybe high-R) pirate outfit she’d ever seen. All the model needed was a half-naked pirate next to her to make the picture complete. The frilly, lacy cream skirt hit the girl just before full exposure; God forbid if the poor thing tried to sit, she’d be showing her assets to everyone in the room! The girl’s breasts spilled out of the matching top, helped along by a burgundy waist cinch with an attached overskirt. The cinch and skirt combo was embroidered in an elaborate design done in gold. Lace bell sleeves allowed her hands freedom while promising to drip into everything. The feathered hat matched the cinch, with the edges decorated in creamy lace. No less than four feathers peeked around the rim of the hat. Tall black boots with three-inch heels and a remarkably lifelike saber completed the outfit. If Max thought she’d wear the lacy thigh-high stockings he’d bought, he was in for a rude awakening. The stockings definitely took the outfit into X-land.

  Max’s innocent expression didn’t fool her for a moment. There was simply no way he could hide the heat in his eyes. “It matches my costume. Besides, the model in that thing has to be taller than you. The skirt should hit you mid-thigh.”

  “Oh, yes, that makes it so much better.”

  They were sitting in Max’s breakfast nook, finishing the last of their coffee. Emma needed to open the store that day; Becky would close at five. Emma planned on handing Becky her costume just before she left for the day, leaving Becky no option but to wear what Max had provided since the masquerade was that night. Although, looking at the costume he’d chosen for her, she was a little leery about the costume he’d gotten for her friend. “Who picked out Becky’s costume?”

  “Simon.”

  “Oh boy. Can I see the costume she’s probably going to throw at my head?”

  Max grinned and reached into the bag he’d brought to the table that morning. He pulled out an off-the-shoulder black lacy top with long sleeves that were tight at the arms and flared out at the wrists. Next he pulled out a black skirt. It was short and flaring, the kind that would fly up if you spun in place. On top of the skirt he laid out a leather belt with a silver belt buckle, a swordsman’s belt meant for a real rapier. Tall black boots almost identical to Emma’s, a black bandito hat, black cape and black mask completed the outfit. Where Emma’s outfit was blatantly sexy, Becky’s was sexy in an understated way. Her skirt would probably hit her mid-thigh as well, but in all other respects she was almost modestly covered, especially since it was obvious the cape would hit her at her knees, thus covering her dignity in back. Unlike Emma’s outfit, which took dignity and kicked its ass to the curb with a cheery wave and a fond farewell.

  “Wow. I’m impressed. I should have let Simon pick my outfit, too.”

  Emma grinned at the sound of Max’s low-pitched, possessive growl.

  “Okay, so…” Emma folded her hands on top of Becky’s costume, “…where’s my outfit for the party? I mean, I have to assume this outfit is for, like, role-playing at home or something.”

  “I am going to show the entire world exactly how sexy I find you.” His hands covered hers, both soothing her and locking her into place. Gold flecks danced in the blue of his eyes and Emma shivered. “No one will doubt how much I want you. I plan on having every single male there drooling with envy that I’m the one who has you. I want every female there to hate you on sight.”

  “Just being with you will do that,” Emma muttered.

  Max grinned. It wasn’t pleasant. “I want Livia to grind her teeth into powder when she sees you on my arm. And then I want us both to smile at her and wish her well after she bows down to you.”

  “Damn, Max, you should have been a girl. That’s totally bitchy.”

  He picked up one of her hands and kissed the palm, sending more shivers of heat through her. “And then tomorrow we finish moving the rest of your stuff in.”

  Emma had given in on moving in with him just the night before. She hadn’t been to her apartment since the night Max bit her, other than to pick up a few changes of clothing, her toiletries, her full-length mirror that she refused to live without, and h
er makeup. Her red PT Cruiser had finally made its way to his garage last night, too, and was now nestled next to Max’s Durango. He’d frowned darkly over the fact that it was a convertible, muttering something about knives and maniacs, but he’d just have to learn to live with it. Emma loved her car, and her car loved her.

  “I’ll make you a deal.” He’d never go for it, and then she’d get to change costumes. A win-win situation, as far as she was concerned.

  “Shoot.”

  “I’ll wear the costume if we take my car to the party.”

  “Done.” Emma’s jaw dropped. He hated her car. He’d made it clear he absolutely hated it, but he hadn’t even hesitated. He stood, reached out with a finger and shut her mouth. “You’re going to be late for work, sweetheart.”

  “Oh shit!” Emma looked at her watch and bolted for the garage, leaving the costumes behind.

  “Emma!”

  She turned in the doorway, grabbed the bag he held out with Becky’s costume in it and raced out, doing her best to ignore his chuckles. She shoved the bag in the car, opened the garage door and darted back inside.

  Max turned, confused as she barreled back into the house at Mach speed. He managed to catch her as she threw herself at him, wrapping her legs around his waist. She pulled his startled face close and kissed him soundly. “Bye!” she yelled as she dropped out of his hold and ran back out the door again, the picture of his stunned, happy face and silly grin staying with her the entire way to work.

  “You expect me to wear that?” Becky stared at the costume Emma had laid out on the Victorian sofa in Wallflowers with something akin to horror. “Emma, I thought Max was Zorro. Are you sure you want me to match his costume?”

  Emma grinned; Becky was one of the few people who knew about her hook-up with Max. “Max isn’t going as Zorro. That was a smokescreen he threw up to keep Livia at bay. Trust me, you won’t match Max tonight.”

  Becky paled as Emma’s slight emphasis on Max’s name registered. “Tell me Simon isn’t going as Zorro.”

  “Simon isn’t going as Zorro,” Emma deadpanned, already inching her way towards the door.

  “Emma!” Becky shrieked, totally horrified.

  Emma stopped. “Becky, you’ve been dancing around your attraction for Simon for months, probably years! And you know what? I think he’s just as attracted to you as you are to him! So, why don’t you go for it?”

  “You know the type of women Simon goes for! Hell, I know for a fact where he’s been. You think I want to boldly go where everyone else has gone before?”

  “Simon hasn’t dated in months, Becks.”

  “That’s a lie, Emma. He went out with Belinda just last week!”

  “Nope, he didn’t. You have got to stop listening to what those two say, Becky! Trust me, I have inside information. The night Simon was supposed to be with Belinda he was with Max!” Becky looked unconvinced. “Look, let’s try and figure this out logically, okay?”

  “Okay,” Becky drawled reluctantly. She seated herself gingerly on the sofa next to the sprawled out Zorro outfit and watched Emma pace.

  “Fact one: Livia Patterson is a class-A bitch. Yes or no?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fact two: Belinda Campbell is also a class-A bitch. Yes or no?”

  “Yes.” Becky sighed impatiently.

  “Fact three: Livia and Belinda hate our guts for some obscure reason, possibly to do with the fact that cherry punch is a bitch to get out of white satin. Yes or no?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fact four: Livia and Belinda are both interested in making sure no other woman gets either Max or Simon. Yes or no?”

  Becky looked uncomfortable. She bit her lip, suddenly uncertain. “Yes?”

  Emma snorted. “Trust me, when Livia finds out I’ve hooked up with Max she’s going to shit a brick.” Emma waved off Becky’s sputtering, startled laugh with a small frown. “Belinda is just as bad, but she wants Simon.”

  “So?”

  “So, from what I’ve heard, and seen, I should add, Simon seems to want you.”

  Becky blinked. “You know, I’ve heard they’ve got some pretty good outreach programs for drug abusers. You should look into them.”

  Emma sighed. “Becky, the man made his Madonna look just like you. Only smiling and happy instead of grouchy. So maybe it doesn’t look exactly like you.”

  “Har-de-har-har. Seriously, Emma, Simon’s never shown a lick of interest. And, frankly, knowing where his tongue has been I’m not certain I want him licking me.”

  Emma eyed Becky with disgust. “Quit making excuses, Becky. Wear the costume and see how Simon reacts. If he’s interested, he’ll let you know.”

  “And if he isn’t interested?”

  Emma grinned. “Somehow I don’t think you need to worry about that.” Ignoring Becky’s sudden blush, Emma headed out the door. She’d made an appointment to have her hair done for the masquerade and she had no intention of missing it.

  The gossip in the salon was running fast and furious. None of the women there knew about her hooking up with Max yet, so a lot of the gossip fluttered around who the town’s hottest hunks were taking to the masquerade. Some believed Max was taking Livia, a rumor Livia herself skillfully confirmed without actually confirming anything. Emma had a hard time keeping her snorts of amusement to herself. Max wanted no one to get wind of their relationship until the masquerade when she would enter on his arm; otherwise she would have taken great delight in setting Livia straight. Everyone agreed Simon was the wildcard; no one had any clue who he’d be taking, although Livia tried to make it sound like he’d be taking Belinda. Since Emma knew for a fact that Simon was flying solo, she kept her mouth shut.

  Adrian Giordano was also rumored to be flying solo, something Emma could have confirmed but didn’t. There were a few other men the women were interested in, but she didn’t know those men personally so she just closed her eyes, relaxed into the stylist’s chair and let the rumors fly over her head.

  “And, of course, we all know Becky will be taking Emma.” Emma popped one eye open to see Livia smirking at her. She did the one thing she knew would piss the woman off the most. She smiled serenely and closed her eyes, ignoring her for the rest of her appointment.

  Max walked into the house a half an hour late. He had very little time to get showered and dressed before the masquerade, and the quickie he’d been hoping to indulge in wasn’t going to happen. The Pride Alpha couldn’t be late, especially when he planned on introducing his Curana to the rest of the Pride for the first time.

  “Max?”

  “Hey, sweetheart.” Max put his briefcase down next to the sofa and headed for the bedroom, pulling his tie off as he went. “How’d your…day…go…”

  Emma stood in the middle of the bedroom in the pirate outfit he’d picked out for her. The skirt hit her mid-thigh, just as he’d predicted. The boots hit her just below her knee, showing off an awful lot of skin. The thigh-high stockings were nowhere in evidence, not that she needed them. She’d had her hair styled in a half up, half down thing, with curls and twists she normally didn’t have, framing her face beautifully. The frilly captain’s hat was the icing on the cake.

  Her makeup was a little darker and richer than she normally wore. The pale rose lip gloss she preferred had been exchanged for a darker shade, closer to wine. Her eyes were dark and smoky. Thick gold hoops adorned her ears and around her neck was a stylized golden cat. She stood with her hands behind her, an uncertain look on her face, the toe of one boot digging into the carpet as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror she’d moved from her apartment. She looked like a confection just waiting to be eaten. “Max?”

  “Huh?” God, he hoped she didn’t want him to actually talk, since he was pretty sure he couldn’t form complete words, let alone sentences.

  She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and bit her lip, and Max nearly swallowed his tongue. “Are you sure this skirt isn’t too short?”

  Max
gulped as he took her in from her incredible face to her edible legs. “Is that a trick question?”

  Emma rolled her eyes, some of the uncertainty leeching out of her face as she turned back towards the mirror. “Why don’t you go take your shower and get dressed? We have to be at the Friedelinde’s in an hour.” She reached up to adjust her breasts in her bra and Max nearly fell on the floor. When she shimmied everything back into place, he practically ran for the bathroom. It was either an ice cold shower or throw her to the ground and mount her, to hell with Jonathon Friedelinde and the masquerade.

  He showered quickly, since ice bathing wasn’t his favorite sport. He dressed in record time as he listened to Emma putter around the great room muttering to herself. At the last minute he remembered to grab the signet ring before going to gather up Emma.

  When he stepped out of the bedroom, he was gratified to see Emma just as spellbound as he’d been when he’d seen her costume. His long jacket was burgundy, with the same gold embroidery that was on her waist cinch and overskirt. Black lace peeked out at his wrists. He wore a black shirt with a black lace jabot underneath, skin-tight black pants and black boots cuffed just below his knees. He carried his saber since he couldn’t wear it while driving. His tricorn hat was black with gold trim. Three black feathers in the hat polished off the look.

  “Oh boy. If we don’t get out of here now, we are so going to be late.” Emma’s voice was husky with desire and her eyes had turned gold. Max had to struggle not to push her up against the wall, free his aching cock and give them both what they wanted.

  Max clenched his hand around the signet ring and stopped, the ring reminding him of something important he had to do before they left. “Wait, give me your hand.” Emma held out her right hand. Max took it and gently slipped the signet ring of the Curana onto her middle finger. The Curana’s ring was identical to his own, but smaller and daintier. Two stylized pumas surrounded a gold oval, paws to tails. In the center of the oval, the face of a puma had been engraved with two yellow diamonds for eyes. When she looked confused Max held up his own right hand, displaying his ring on his middle finger. “You are my Curana. Now everyone will know it.”