The Alpha's Temporary Mate(26)

My man.

If only.





Chapter Eleven

"Do we count the evening as a success?" Kieran asked as they entered the penthouse.

"Jessica liked you," she replied, kicking off her heels next to the  door. "She's no longer worried you're impressing me with your paycheck."

"Excellent." He watched as she drifted toward the living room instead of  retreating to bed. For once, he wasn't annoyed a partner wanted to  string out their evening. Extra moments with Chloe never seemed to  grate.

She collapsed onto the beige sofa as she waved her hand in the air. A  handful of the dimmer lamps flared to life, bathing the room in a cozy,  soft glow.

"You had an eye-opening meal," she said.

"I did," he agreed, moving toward her with careful steps. "But you wish I hadn't."

Her eyes followed him as he grew closer. "I don't like you knowing  intimate details about my life that you don't need to be privy to."

He nodded, remembering how he'd reacted the first time she'd tried to  pry into his past. "Except this meal made me realize the exact  opposite," he mused. "There were points in the conversation where I  should have known things about you, things a real lover would. We were  saved due to the brevity of the interaction, and Jessica being worried  about rocking the boat with you. Neither condition will occur at the  retreat."

She shrugged. "What's your point?"

"My point is the same one you made the night we went to the gallery. You  said we needed to know each other better. Know inner workings and  secrets."

"Yes, I did. Then you shot me down."

"I was wrong." The words stuck in his throat. Had he ever uttered them  before? If he had he couldn't remember. He was used to always being in  the right. Even if others disagreed, few voiced their displeasure as  Chloe had a penchant to do.

But in this case, he'd had everything backward. He'd thought this ruse  could be accomplished while he and his partner remained strangers. Never  had he thought this enterprise would require the true intimacy of a  relationship rather than a facsimile of it.

"You were wrong?" she repeated. "Can I get that in writing?"

"Be kind."

The stare she leveled at him was not exactly friendly. "What happened?  You heard a few Chloe stories and decided we needed to bond better?"

Exactly. What's more, he'd liked hearing the stories about her past and  her work. He'd been privileged to see a side of her reserved for the  friends she loved.

And dammit all, but he wanted more of it.

"Yes," he answered simply.

A beat of silence reigned before she shook her head. "We're supposed to be professional."

"Wolves don't do professional. Not within the pack." He stepped closer  to her. "Bringing an outside lover to a wolf gathering is … intimate. I  don't want to spill my secrets to you any more than you do to me. But  meeting Jessica showed me that it's an eventuality we need to be  prepared for."                       
       
           



       

Chloe hissed through her teeth. "You already know more about me than I  know about you. This is a game I'm way too sober to play."

"Then let's fix that." This, at least, was a problem he could handle.  Going to the sideboard, he grabbed two shot glasses and a decanter of  whiskey from the cart.

"What are you, nineteen?" she demanded as he walked back to her.

"No," he replied. "I'm four hundred and twelve. And that was your first  question, which means you have to take a drink." He dropped onto the  couch by her side and poured out the first drink.

"Wait, what?"

"We need to know uncomfortable facts that we'd only share with long-term  lovers. As we are not in that kind of relationship, we need a shortcut.  Alcohol loosens tongues." Or at least he hoped to God it would. They  needed to know each other's secrets. Logically, he understood that. But  he'd rather walk on nails than speak of Lisette. If the whiskey couldn't  help then they were both doomed.

"We can't drink wine like adults?"

"Takes too long," he replied. "Ask a question, get an answer, take a  shot. Quick, painless, and we'll be unconscious before we can regret the  mistakes we make."

"Where'd you get this idea?"

"Tonight, when I saw you loosen up as Jessica and I plied you with wine."

"Then you have an unfairly sober head start."

"Fine," he said and poured himself a shot and downed it before she could  protest. The whiskey was a familiar burn running down his throat. Some  immortals had a high tolerance for alcohol, to the point where they  could drink gallons without the slightest buzz. Kieran wondered at his  partner's tolerance. Immortals with more human physiology tended to have  similar weaknesses. If he were playing completely fair he'd admit it  would probably take far more questions to get him drunk than her, but a  smart hunter never gave away any advantage.

"Tell me about the last man you slept with."

She inhaled sharply. "Not exactly easing into this are you?"

If there was one thing he'd learned tonight, it was they didn't have  time. In a week they'd be surrounded by his packmates, people eager to  know every minute detail of their relationship. They weren't ready for  that, and if they kept their secrets so closely guarded, they never  would be.

"We need to know the details people might ask about. Exes are common fodder for interrogation," he explained.

"That means I'll be asking about yours."

Despair spiraled through him, though he kept his expression blank. "I know."

And he'd have to answer. He needed to be as open as he was asking her to be. He tossed back another shot at the thought.

"You'll really answer?" she breathed, obviously intrigued despite herself. "Anything I want to know?"

"Anything," he agreed before he could regret it.

"Might be worth a headache in the morning," she mused, eying her full  shot glass. "Fine. My last ex was a griffin named Edward. It only lasted  a few months."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "I lost interest. He was nice enough. Did all the right  things. It was me who walked away." Pointing to the bottle she added, "I  answered your question, drink up."

Inclining his head, he tossed back another shot.

"My turn," she said. "Tell me about your ex."

Ah, a brief reprieve. Chloe needed to learn when playing with wolves to  have a care for her words. "She was a model named Candy," he said.  "Seriously. It was on her birth certificate."

"That's not the ex I meant."

"Then you should have been more specific." He handed her a shot. "Bottom's up."

Sighing, she drank down the fiery alcohol.

He took a minute to think about his next question. What did he want to  know about her? Everything. He pushed the thought away and tried to  focus on the specific details that might come in handy. He could ask her  more about her lost coven, perhaps details of her past relationships.

But the question that emerged from his lips was far from planned.

"In the car, why did you look so lost?"

The smile slipped from her lips. "That has nothing to do with our ruse."

"Doesn't matter. I asked you a question, you answer. That's how this works."

"And if I don't want to respond?"

"Three shot forfeit."

She gaped. "That will put me on the floor. Plus you can't change the rules once the game has started."

"Of course I can." His wolf paced inside him. Just like the man, it  wanted answers. Wanted to figure out the inner workings of Chloe. If he  were a gentleman he might retract his question, given her discomfort,  but as soon as the thought crossed his mind he dismissed it. She was a  puzzle he had to figure out. One way or another he'd hear her  confessions, even if it meant giving a few of his own.                       
       
           



       

"Tell me the truth," he repeated. "What were you thinking about?"



She wanted to tell him to back off. Her realizations about her own  desires had nothing to do with his plot. But she'd agreed to this game,  and the alcohol was already flowing insidiously through her veins.  Truths she'd regret tomorrow seemed a small price to pay for information  she wanted today.

Take a page out of his book. Distance yourself from your emotions. Just lay out the facts.

"I realized I want to find my mate," she said, chin up. "When we are  through with our ruse, I'm going to start actively searching for him."

The smile slipped off Kieran's face. "You want to settle down?"

She shrugged. "I didn't think so, but these few weeks made me think  otherwise. I suppose I have you to thank for that. If I hadn't met you, I  wouldn't have realized I was ready for something real."