Inside of You

"You work for the Snake?" Calix was shocked. The male had a deadly reputation, and rumor said he was an assassin. Calix eyed the smaller man, wondering if there was more to this Tiger than there appeared to be.

"He owns a club here. We're bouncers."

"Oh," Calix was relieved the Tiger wasn't doing something more dangerous. "That's probably a good job for you." Even if it was working for the Snake.

Calix decided to change the subject.

"You definitely look like you could kick butt and take names if you needed to. Where do you work out? Do you have a trainer?"

Jerret smiled. "That's right; you just opened a gym. Trying to drum up business?"

Calix returned his smile, happy the mood between them had lightened. He shrugged. "Nah. I have a pretty healthy business already. I offer a lot of good equipment, trainers, and classes for a minimum fee. I've never had any trouble filling my membership quotas. It was just a question. I enjoy working out; that's why I got a double degree in business and physical therapy."

He knew his passion was spilling into his voice; his friends always teased him about it when he talked about what he did and why.

"I like to take a client looking for some help and design a program just for them, one they can enjoy and get results with. There's nothing like helping someone really reach their goals physically."

Jerret's eyes hadn't glazed over yet, so Calix guessed he hadn't bored him too much by going on and on about it.

"Anyway, so that's why I opened a gym."

"And here I thought you just wanted to get me below you on the bench press."

That odd scent he sensed from the man made Calix want to agree to that. He leaned forward, about to respond when they were interrupted by their waitress.

"Hey guys," Molly said as she stopped at their table. "Two Deluxe burgers and fries. One without onions." She slid Calix plate in front of him.

The smell of the medium rare meat rose to tease Calix senses. The burger on his plate was huge too. He glanced at Jerret. The tiger was practically salivating as he at the food on his plate . At least he wasn't looking at the waitress. Though if Jerret's flirting with him was any indication. . .

"Here's your ketchup Jerret. I slid it into the fridge as soon as you came in so it's good and cold." She handed him a red bottle, their fingers touching.

Her cheeks pinked a bit, but Jerret seemed oblivious. "Thanks Moll. Appreciate it."

Calix raised an eyebrow. That was interesting.

He wasn't going to pursue that angle right then though. His burger was practically calling to him, demanding he take a bite immediately.

Juice dripped down his chin with his first bite. His eyes went half-shut at the burst of flavor; the pepper and mesquite seasoning blended perfectly with the ground sirloin. He chewed fast so he could take another bite.

"Good?" Jerret asked.

Calix opened his eyes fully; it took a moment to focus on something beyond his food. He swallowed, and put his food down reluctantly. "The best I think I've ever had." He wiped the back of one hand across his chin and then licked the juices off.

Jerret watched his every move like a hawk.

Deciding to play with him a bit, Calix licked his lips, searching for any stray juice. He pointed at Jerret's burger sitting forgotten on his plate with his chin as he picked up his burger again. "You going to eat that?"

He bit into his burger again; making sure it was as slow bite. He moaned his appreciation, truly enjoying it as well as making sure he teased the smaller man. He raised an eyebrow as he chewed and swallowed.

"This is just too good to not eat. Something wrong?"

A flush crept up Jerret's neck. "Nothing," he muttered as he picked up his burger and took a bite. Calix's nostrils flared and he caught what he was looking for; there was that bite to Jerret's scent that indicated he was aroused.

It looked like Calix might be able to salvage their meeting after all.

"So, why are you here eating all alone tonight?"

Jerret shrugged. "No date, and my best friend threatened to make me dress up in a horrendous cupid costume complete with diaper and fake bow and arrows to match his if I stayed home and did nothing again this year."

"So... you went out for a burger so he'd leave you alone?"

Jerret's head ducked. "Well, no. He keeps wanting to hook me up, says it is past time for me to get past my jerk of an ex. I don't want a new relationship, I'm happy with my life as it is." He shrugged and smirked. "So I lied."

"What did you tell him?"

"That I had a blind date. I thought sitting back here it would be unlikely that he would see me without a date if he decided to check up on me. Or if he did, he'd figure we went back to his place or something."

His place. That definitely clinched it. The Tiger was gay. He could only guess how something like that would be taken by a clan as hidebound as the one Jerret described.

Good thing neither of them had a clan to worry about disapproving of them.

"Hmm... Well I'm here now. We weren't set up but we could be on a blind date. We had enough awkward silences at the beginning to qualify, don't you think?"

Jerret grinned at him while rolling his eyes, and Calix was floored. Jerret was a handsome male, but when he smiled like that it was as if all the stress and worry in him disappeared and Calix could see inside him. Beneath the surface lurked a happy soul that lit the male up when it was set free.

He yearned to do it again.

And he definitely wanted to take the tiger back to his place.

"So how about it? Can I make an honest man out of you?"

***

Jerret stared at the Liger, floored that he was serious. He was a huge muscled stud, totally gorgeous with a ruff of hair that Jerret would love to bury his hands in.

And he'd just asked him to go home with him.

He looked down at his full plate of food; he'd only taken a few bites out of his burger. He chewed on his lip, he actually was hungry. He'd skipped lunch, and now that he wasn't afraid the large male was going to go ballistic on him, he really wanted to finish his meal.

"I'd hate to ruin the enjoyment of your first deluxe burger at Carl's."

Movement across the table had him looking back up. The male knew that he wasn't looking for a relationship, he was hot, and sexy, and right then he was looking at him like Jerret was a juicy burger he wanted to devour instead of the one on his plate.

Calix looked down at his plate and then back up. Jerret's stomach chose that moment to growl. The Liger's voice was almost a purr when he spoke, "Well I certainly don't want you to go hungry. You're going to need all of your energy when we get back to my place."

Jerret felt a surge of lust. An evening of hot and sweaty athletic sex would be perfect to keep the memories at bay. Even better, with another Carthera he wouldn't have to hide the baser urges his animal side craved for hard couplings.

"I can eat fast," Jerret picked up his burger, "very fast." He took a big bite and chewed, wasting no time.

The Liger chuckled, picking up his own burger which was more than half gone.

After that, conversation slowed to nothing. There was a tense air of anticipation between them, ratcheting higher with every minute that passed. Jerret enjoyed the food, but he didn't waste time savoring it; opting to eat quickly in order to get to the carnal dessert he'd been offered.

They both pushed away empty plates at the same time. Calix stared at him the entire time they waited for Molly to bring over the checks for their meals.

Calix reached for the one placed near Jerret before he could grab it. "My treat," he said.

Jerret protested, "This wasn't a date; you don't have to pay for my meal. I'm sort of a sure thing at this point, you know."

Calix leaned in, his voice deep. "Oh I know."

Jerret's eyes locked onto the way his tongue moistened his lips, visions of how it would feel slicking his sensitive skin flashing in his mind. "But I want to do this. You'll let me."

Jerret nodded, in a bit of a daze as he fought down the moan and shudder from mental images he was getting involving that tongue. His balls had begun to actually ache.

It had been too long since a hand other than his own had caressed his cock. Even longer since he'd let someone top him, pressing him down hard into the bed and taking him roughly.

He needed.

Desperately.

They both stood up after Calix signed the credit slip. Molly had winked at Jerret, but the hostess had an unhappy frown on her face when they walked out of the cafe. Calix was walking so close to Jerret that his body heat was like a furnace at his back. When they got to the doors, the large Liger reached past Jerret to pull the door open.

The move brought his groin into contact with Jerret's ass. The large rigid erection pressed between the cheeks and the sensation sent a pulse through Jerret's body making his cock jerk. It was already straining at the limits of his jeans and somewhat painful. Jerret decided he didn't care as he moaned and pressed back, rubbing his ass back and forth.

Then Calix's lips came down on the bare skin where his neck and shoulder met. His teeth didn't touch Jerret's neck but his soft lips did in a small nip that had results neither of them expected.

"Holy fuck!" Jerret jerked forward and rushed out of the cafe.

He spun around to see the Liger just a step behind him, one arm reaching for him.

"Stop! Don't touch me again!" Jerret backed away.

"Did you feel that?" Calix asked. His voice was uncertain, his expression confused.

Jerret could feel himself shaking. He sure as hell had felt that. The moment Calix's lips touched his skin he'd known. He held up his hands keep Calix from moving closer, still moving back.

"I don't think this is a good idea anymore," he said in a rush, taking another step back from the Liger. Jerret kept his eyes on the wide chest, refusing to meet Calix's eyes and let the male see he knew exactly what had happened. "I'm sorry."

Looking over his shoulder, Jerret saw an alley he could use to cut over to the next street. A busy downtown street, it would be packed on Valentine's Day. He could lose himself in the swirl and scent of the crowd, and the liger would never find him.

He had to escape. This was just supposed to be a one night stand.

The Liger was not his fate; he didn't want a mate.

He wouldn't risk his heart. Not again.

***

Calix watched in shock as the tiger's eyes rolled wildly just before he took off running.

"Jerret! Wait!"

Calix ran after him, but he was fast. Larger than other cat Carthera, Calix's size had scared many, but he'd never tried to chase them down. Much less by running through an alley packed with junk that fell all around him.

By the time he got to the end, cursing as he stumbled over a box full of rotting lettuce, the tiger was gone.

His mate was gone.

"Fuck!" He roared his frustration, turning and slamming his hand into the brick wall of the store building that was next to the restaurant. He shook his hand as his knuckles stung, ignoring the shocked looks of the humans who stared at the cracks he'd left in the brick. He stalked off, heading up the street in the direction his mate had gone.

He'd keep looking. Calix had to find him; they had to talk.

***

"I don't know where he lives Mom. The hostess sat me at his table because he was the only person there eating alone. I don't even know his last name."

Calix paced his apartment over the gym. He'd walked around the neighborhood aimlessly for hours before he headed home, and instantly called his parents for advice.

"Well, what do you know about him, Son?" his dad asked.

"He's a Tiger, he has an older brother, and they both work for the Snake."

"Davis Retic, THE Snake?" His mom's voice was shocked.

"What kind of man is this, Calix? You barely touched, I mean" his dad sounded troubled, "are you sure he's your mate?"

Calix slumped into his favorite chair, running his hand through his shoulder length hair. "Yeah, I'm sure, Dad. It was just like you always told me. There was something pulling me toward him when I met him, and when we touched it was instant recognition.

"He's my mate."

He heard twin sighs through the speaker of the phone.

"He's a bouncer, he said. Jerret isn't in the same line of 'work' that the Snake is in."

"As far as you know."

His head slumped back against the cool leather. "I won't know anything more about him if I can't talk to him. What am I supposed to do? I can't just show up at his work; from his behavior at dinner, it would only freak him out. I don't want my mate to be afraid of me."

Calix's mom spoke, "You're going to have to learn more about him. Woo him; court him until he comes to you. It's what your father did when I was reluctant to mate him."

"This isn't quite the same thing, Mom. It's not a clan rivalry issue, I know that much."

"It doesn't matter what the issue is," his dad's voice was confident, "because you have a link between you as mates. Now that you have found each other you'll begin to crave that bond; crave your mate's presence and touch. It would take a male stronger than I think your Tiger is to resist it."

Calix closed his eyes, seeing in his mind the resolved look in Jerret's eyes when he'd said he didn't want a mate.

"I hope you're right," he whispered.

"Try finding out more about him; start with where he works. If the bar is only a few blocks away and he was eating dinner on Valentine's Day instead of hiding in his apartment it's likely that he lives close by. Everyone likes thoughtful gifts. Show that you want to get to know him, that he's important to you."

"Either that or he's going to call Velaku to tell him I'm a stalker and get me thrown out of his territory."

His dad chuckled a little. "I've met Natham. I'll give the Falcon's mate a call if it comes to that."

Oh Matras, that's the last thing Calix would want to have happen. His dad calling the local head of the clans and telling him all about his mate's rejection.

"I can handle it, Dad. There's no need for you to do that."

There was whispering across the line and Calix heard his mother sigh, the sound completely exasperated. It was a sound Calix had heard a lot as he grew up.

"Oh," the lion cleared his throat after the whispering stopped, "I'll, uh, let you handle the situation, Son."

Calix smiled. Obviously his mother, a master at navigating personal matters and delicate situations, had informed his dad exactly how embarrassed he'd be if he did anything of the sort. It made Calix think about where she learned that; wondering if her clan had always been as elitist as Jerret had made them sound. He knew how nasty they were after she mated his father.

"Thanks Dad, Mom. I appreciate the advice. I'll give you a call in a few days."

"Okay dear. You just let us know when you get your mate to agree to the bond, we'll be on the next flight out."

"The very next one," his dad promised. "I hope you know how happy we are for you. Your mother and I know how long you have been waiting for a mate."

Calix sighed. "I just hope you're both right."

"You'll see. We'll see you soon, son. Love you."

"Love you," Calix answered before he hung up the phone.

His apartment was dark; the curtains still open on the windows that overlooked the city skyline. Calix got up and went to stand in front of the cold glass, the lights all seeming to multiply, thousands into millions. His hands spread across it, flattening as he leaned forward, his breath frosting his view as he stared out.

"Where are you hiding?" he whispered.

***

It happened again. The hair on the back of Jerret's neck prickled, and he began craning his head around, looking around him. Heading from his apartment to work was usually a time for him to get a coffee and a cinnamon bun and enjoy deep breaths of the chill winter air filled with the spices in his drink and food.

His nose wrinkled as he tried to smell past them when he couldn't see anyone. He didn't slow down, just kept going until he found it walking past the recessed doorway of the New Age bookstore across the street from Dav's club. It was his scent.

Un-fucking-mistakable.

Turns out his would-be mate was a crazy person. He'd known someone was watching and following him for the last few days. He'd never been able to spot him but today it had been stronger. He'd known who it was, but tried to pass it off, hoping he was wrong.

Of course he couldn't just be wrong.

He dropped his bun in the garbage can outside the book and candle shop but kept a hold of his coffee. He'd not been sleeping so well the last few nights, but he'd be damned if he gave up his caffeine to soothe his now nervously churning stomach.

He took a sip, glaring around him as he moved on and started walking toward the club again. Caffeine was just about the only thing keeping him going. He'd met his mate and walked away.

His mate.

Jerret almost couldn't believe it himself but Benny's reaction when he told him about the Valentine's Day date had irritated him. He wasn't his brother, and Calix wasn't a snooty Tiger clan leader's son. But memories of that time when Benny found his mate just reminded him of what he knew.

Mates made a male vulnerable.

He walked around to the alley behind Dav's club; the back door was unlocked so that staff could come in. He didn't really need to be there for another hour but he'd been sitting at home and felt restless. At least this way he could see if Brad needed any help.

The bartender was human but he was so easygoing that he didn't even blink an eye working for the Snake. Davis really didn't deserve the reputation he had though; the male was deadly but he had more control than anyone Jerret had ever met. Except for when he felt like someone threatened his mate; then the man was pure death.

Brad had been the first friend Jerret had made after they moved. They hung out; played poker with a bunch of Brad's friends and Jerret had introduced Brad to the wonderful world of hockey.

"Hey man." Jerret walked into the club and headed over to the bar. Brad had his back to the room, stacking some liquor bottles in the racks against the wall. He turned around when Jerret called out to him.

"Hey! What are you doing in so early? Didn't you close last night?"

Jerret shrugged. "Yeah, but I woke up early and got all my shit taken care of. Figured I'd see if you needed some help stacking the liquor cases. Delivery was today, right?"

"Yeah, got some stuff in the back you can take downstairs if you don't mind." Brad wiped his arm across his forehead.

"Sure, I can do it way faster than you with your scrawny human body."

Brad's eyes went wide and he slapped the shiny black bar. "Shit, that reminds me."

Rolling his eyes, Jerret smirked at him. "Reminds you of what? Your inferiority?" He laughed when Brad flipped him off.

"No man, there was this guy that came by a few minutes ago. He said to give you something." He was reaching around his back.

"Who was it?"

"I dunno man, but you just missed him. He didn't leave his name, but he was huge with this super gold hair. He said to make sure you got this." Brad held out a flat white envelope.

Jerret stared at it as his eyes narrowed, but he didn't move to take it.

"Dude? You gonna take it or what?" Brad waved it in front of him.

Maybe it wasn't him; maybe it was just a coincidence. He snorted as he reluctantly took the envelope from his friend. Yeah right.

The second he lifted the envelope he caught Calix's scent clinging to it. Musky like a Tiger but with a scent of something different, a sharp scent that had to come from the Lion side of him. All of it combined with a scent that was pure male that had Jerret's dick hardening uncomfortably in his tight jeans.