Taylor
realized how snooty and stuck-up they actually were. He lost count of how many
snide remarks he heard about humans.
He pushed thoughts of the night
before from his mind and got out of bed. This was his last day off before he
jumped into the corporate world again. He planned to spend a great deal of it
with Aspen. He’d missed her more than he thought he would. He craved to make
love to her once more.
After a shower in his en suite,
Taylor dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. He needed
to phone Aspen, but decided it would be better if he made the call outside. He
didn’t need Blaise interrupting like last time, nor did he need one of the help
overhearing and telling his father that Taylor had been talking to a woman.
He’d just stepped out of his room
and into the hallway when his mother called his name. Taylor looked in the
direction of his parents’ bedroom to see her leaving it.
“Good morning, Mom.”
She walked down the hall until she
stood in front of him and gave him a hug. “Good morning. I was just coming to
see if you were awake. Your father wants to see you.”
“I was going to go to the stables.
I haven’t been out there since I returned.”
“It’ll have to wait. He wants to
talk to you before Caleb arrives. It tires him out when your cousin comes to
examine him. Your dad usually sleeps for a few hours afterward. Unless you want
to wait around until he wakes up again.”
No, he didn’t. He wanted to see if
Aspen would spend the afternoon and night with him. “All right, I’ll talk to
him now only because I’m planning to go out this afternoon. Plus, don’t expect
me back for dinner. I’ll be late getting back.”
His mom smiled. “Do your plans
happen to be with a female?”
“That, mother dear, I’m keeping to
myself.”
“Fine, I won’t press. Once you’re
done with your father, come and eat something for breakfast before you go out
to the stables. Knowing you, you’ll be there for a while, especially since
you’ve been working with horses the last few years.”
Taylor had told his mom where he’d
been living and working during his banishment. The only thing he’d kept from
her was the fact the people he’d been close to were werewolves. And the fact
that he’d told his friends about his being a cougar shifter.
“I promise,” he said. After giving
her a kiss on the cheek, he headed down the hallway to the master bedroom.
He knocked on the door that stood
open, then stepped just inside the room. His dad sat propped up in bed with
pillows behind his back. He waved Taylor closer.
“Come in and shut the door.”
Once Taylor did as his father
requested he went and sat in the chair that was near the side of the king-size
bed where his dad lay. “Mom said you wanted to talk to me.”
“Yes. I want to discuss your
future.”
Taylor sat up straighter, not sure
he really wanted to have this conversation. “What about it? I’ve taken my
rightful place again. There isn’t anything more than that.”
“I beg to differ. There’s the
matter of you finding a mate and producing an heir.”
He ground his teeth to stop himself
from telling his father to keep his nose out of his personal life. Instead, he
said, “It’ll happen when it happens. I’m only twenty-nine.”
As if he hadn’t heard what Taylor
said, his father continued. “I’ve made some phone calls and arranged for you to
meet a couple of females of high standing in their family groups who are from
around this area. The first one you’ll take to that Mediterranean restaurant
downtown. I’ve had my assistant make a reservation for seven. It’s fine-dining
so you’ll have to wear a suit. The female’s name is—”
“No,” Taylor said with a slight
growl lacing the word.
His father scowled. “What do you
mean ‘no’?”
“I will not go out with any of
these females.”
“You will do as I say.”
“Not when it comes to this I won’t.
I’ll find my own mate,
realized how snooty and stuck-up they actually were. He lost count of how many
snide remarks he heard about humans.
He pushed thoughts of the night
before from his mind and got out of bed. This was his last day off before he
jumped into the corporate world again. He planned to spend a great deal of it
with Aspen. He’d missed her more than he thought he would. He craved to make
love to her once more.
After a shower in his en suite,
Taylor dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. He needed
to phone Aspen, but decided it would be better if he made the call outside. He
didn’t need Blaise interrupting like last time, nor did he need one of the help
overhearing and telling his father that Taylor had been talking to a woman.
He’d just stepped out of his room
and into the hallway when his mother called his name. Taylor looked in the
direction of his parents’ bedroom to see her leaving it.
“Good morning, Mom.”
She walked down the hall until she
stood in front of him and gave him a hug. “Good morning. I was just coming to
see if you were awake. Your father wants to see you.”
“I was going to go to the stables.
I haven’t been out there since I returned.”
“It’ll have to wait. He wants to
talk to you before Caleb arrives. It tires him out when your cousin comes to
examine him. Your dad usually sleeps for a few hours afterward. Unless you want
to wait around until he wakes up again.”
No, he didn’t. He wanted to see if
Aspen would spend the afternoon and night with him. “All right, I’ll talk to
him now only because I’m planning to go out this afternoon. Plus, don’t expect
me back for dinner. I’ll be late getting back.”
His mom smiled. “Do your plans
happen to be with a female?”
“That, mother dear, I’m keeping to
myself.”
“Fine, I won’t press. Once you’re
done with your father, come and eat something for breakfast before you go out
to the stables. Knowing you, you’ll be there for a while, especially since
you’ve been working with horses the last few years.”
Taylor had told his mom where he’d
been living and working during his banishment. The only thing he’d kept from
her was the fact the people he’d been close to were werewolves. And the fact
that he’d told his friends about his being a cougar shifter.
“I promise,” he said. After giving
her a kiss on the cheek, he headed down the hallway to the master bedroom.
He knocked on the door that stood
open, then stepped just inside the room. His dad sat propped up in bed with
pillows behind his back. He waved Taylor closer.
“Come in and shut the door.”
Once Taylor did as his father
requested he went and sat in the chair that was near the side of the king-size
bed where his dad lay. “Mom said you wanted to talk to me.”
“Yes. I want to discuss your
future.”
Taylor sat up straighter, not sure
he really wanted to have this conversation. “What about it? I’ve taken my
rightful place again. There isn’t anything more than that.”
“I beg to differ. There’s the
matter of you finding a mate and producing an heir.”
He ground his teeth to stop himself
from telling his father to keep his nose out of his personal life. Instead, he
said, “It’ll happen when it happens. I’m only twenty-nine.”
As if he hadn’t heard what Taylor
said, his father continued. “I’ve made some phone calls and arranged for you to
meet a couple of females of high standing in their family groups who are from
around this area. The first one you’ll take to that Mediterranean restaurant
downtown. I’ve had my assistant make a reservation for seven. It’s fine-dining
so you’ll have to wear a suit. The female’s name is—”
“No,” Taylor said with a slight
growl lacing the word.
His father scowled. “What do you
mean ‘no’?”
“I will not go out with any of
these females.”
“You will do as I say.”
“Not when it comes to this I won’t.
I’ll find my own mate,
Similar Books
