Taming His Mate by M. Limoges

Chapter One
     
     
    A high-pitched howl reached through the
barrier of sleep and tugged Kate Matthews into semi-consciousness.
Rolling onto her side, she groaned and smothered her head beneath
her pillow. Another bay penetrated the memory-foam fabric jammed
over her ears. Throwing the cushion on the other side of the bed,
she flopped on her back and stared at the ceiling fan as yet
another howl shattered the last vestige of sleep.
    Damn it, Stephen .
    Kate flung the covers off her legs, jumped
from the bed, and stomped across the chilly hardwood floor to her
bedroom window. Squinting in the darkness, she spotted one of her
tennis shoes beside her foot and grabbed it. Armed, she jerked the
window open and hurled her makeshift missile at the large, gray
wolf loitering on her back lawn. The beast swerved clear of the
canvas bomb at the last second.
    An iridescent pop of light gave way to the
human form of Stephen Dorsett. As moonlight illuminated his nude
body, he gazed up at her, wearing an amused expression that pissed
her off and turned her on at the same time.
    “And a good morning to you, Sunshine.” His
voice oozed with syrupy sweetness, infuriating her more.
    “You’re really starting to annoy me with this
shit.” She pushed the words past her gritted teeth.
    “Aw, did I wake you up?”
    She snatched up a second shoe and chucked it
at him, this time smacking his bare shoulder.
    The man just laughed and shook his head.
“Come for a run with me, Kate.”
    “Are you out of your feeble mind? Go
away.”
    “Well then, come out and talk to me a minute
before I head home. Or you could just invite me in.”
    “Jesus Christ, Stephen.” She glanced over her
shoulder at the digital clock on her bedside table. “It’s four in
the morning!”
    “Please.” He tilted his head to the side, and
his bright eyes glinted. “Come on, Kate. Just for a minute.”
    Hell, she’d never get rid of him if she
didn’t. The idiot would stand outside and howl himself hoarse.
    As if he’d plucked the thoughts from her
head, a lazy smile curled his lips. “You know I won’t leave until
you do.”
    Kate scowled a moment before slamming the
window shut. Stumbling around her room in the dark, she grabbed a
sweatshirt and pair of pajama pants that had seen better days and
threw them on over her nightshirt. She trudged down the stairs and
through the house then out the backdoor, the screen banging closed
behind her.
    And there he was. The man she’d secretly been
in love with since she was a girl.
    She leaned her hip against the wood railing
and allowed her gaze to sweep over him. Clad in a pair of jeans
he’d gotten from God only knew where, he sprawled on the swing at
the other end of her porch. She tried in vain not to notice the
sinewy contours of his chest or the golden trail of hair running
the length of his chest and disappearing into his pants. Only he
could manage to pull off the seriously hot look at four in the
morning.
    The smug bastard.
    Suddenly aware of her old, ratty sweatshirt
and worn pajama pants, Kate straightened and tugged at the bottom
of her shirt, pulling it over her hips.
    Stephen patted the opposite side of the
swing. “There’s plenty of room for you. I won’t bite.” He winked.
“Unless you want me to, Sunshine.”
    “Are you always such a pervert?” She shot him
a frosty glower and, against her better judgment, crossed the porch
to sit beside him. “No wonder you can’t get laid.”
    “I’m holding out for one woman in
particular.” He stretched his arm across the slat of wood behind
her neck. “She keeps playing hard-to-get, though.”
    All it took was one innocent touch or a few
sweet words and the heart she’d given him long ago fluttered
erratically in her chest. She inhaled the cool, early morning air
and forced herself to maintain focus, which was difficult when his
arm brushed the nape of her neck as the swing rocked back and
forth.
    Of course, it never took reality long to
intrude and