The Mating Game: Big Bad Wolf by Georgette St. Clair

“Where’s the photographer?” she said, puzzled. “I don’t see any photographer.”
    Ryker winked at her. “Oops, my bad – I guess it was my imagination,” he said. “I’ll be here at three to pick you up.” And he turned and sauntered back to his pickup truck.
    Jasmine was waiting for her inside the front door. As Daisy walked up to her, she held up an amazing painted jacket, with a graffiti scene splashed across the back. It took Daisy a moment to realize it was her jacket that had gone missing yesterday.
    “You said you wanted to buy some graffiti art,” Jasmine mumbled, staring at the ground as Daisy took the jacket and held it up admiringly.
    “Oh my God, you did that for me?” Daisy stroked the artwork. “It’s gorgeous.”
    “I can neither confirm nor deny that I am associated with JKat2016 in any way,” Jasmine said, not meeting her gaze. Then she looked up with a cheeky grin. “But I will accept payment for the talented, gorgeous, brilliant artist who produced that masterpiece.”
    Daisy dug into her purse and pulled out fifty dollars, which she slipped into Jasmine’s jacket pocket.
    “This is so great,” Daisy said as she put the jacket on. “Now I look totally cool.”
    “I wouldn’t go that far,” Jasmine said. “Your jacket looks cool.”

Chapter Twelve
     
    “You sure it’s okay for me to come?” Ryker asked Daisy as they pulled into the parking lot of the Thirsty Iguana restaurant.
    “Yes, I want them to see that you’re not some crazy kidnapper holding me hostage,” Daisy said. “Jeez, are those news vans? Are they here for you?” She looked at the vans with dismay.
    “’Fraid so,” Ryker said with a sigh. “Welcome to my world.”
    “How did they know we’d be here?” Daisy asked, scowling as they climbed out of Ryker’s sports car.
    “I told Walt that I was taking you out here tonight,” Ryker said with annoyance. “He must have tipped them off. I’m sorry – I hope it doesn’t ruin your evening.”
    “Nah, it’s okay, as long as they don’t actually come into the restaurant and take pictures of me shoveling food into my mouth. I know that the news media is part of the package with you. I mean, we are trying to show your investors what a good boy you are these days, right?” Daisy flashed him a teasing grin.
    He laughed at that. “Apparently this is getting a lot of positive social media attention. People like the fact that you’re a teacher at an inner city school.”
    “Yes, I’m an absolute saint,” Daisy said drolly as they strolled towards the front door of the restaurant.
    Reporters shouted questions at them as they walked.
    “Hey, Ryker, when you going to make an honest wolf out of her?”
    “Ryker, why don’t you put a ring on it?”
    And surprisingly, “Daisy, where’d you get that jacket?” several of them yelled at her.
    She called back over her shoulder, “It’s a JKat original!”
    Then Ryker spun towards the reporters and pulled his trademark move – partially shifted, his head gone full wolf, and snarling at them. That was what he always did when the press started to annoy him. He’d told her that it not only helped him blow off steam, but the press and the public actually ate it up.
    Cadence and Larissa, who were standing in the doorway waiting for her, looked less impressed, however. Larissa’s eyes were wide with alarm, and Cadence was openly staring at Ryker as if he might go rabid at any moment.
    “Guys, relax!” Daisy said. “It’s all for show!”
    As soon as they got inside, Larissa grabbed her by the arm and dragged her aside while Ryker went to order them all drinks.
    “All for show? He’s crazy!” Larissa hissed in her ear. “Does he beat you?”
    “Are you insane?” Daisy said indignantly. “That is actually offensive. If he raised a paw to me in violence, I’d be out of there so fast I’d leave scorch marks.”
    Larissa had never seen Daisy happy with a guy before, and she was acting all kinds