Mistakenly Mated by Sonnet O'Dell Page B

Paulie pulled her back into the dancers and kept his body within an inch of hers as they moved together.
    Caleb turned and grabbed one of the waitresses by the arm. He held out a ten between his fingers and whispered his request in her ear.
    “Sure. No problem, handsome. I’ll ask him right now.” She took the tip he offered her and stuffed it into her push up bra.
    Caleb spun around watching the waitress’ progress before heading out onto the dance floor. He tapped Paulie hard on the shoulder with a meaty finger. Paulie’s glance was hostile at first but then he straightened it out into a grin.
    “Look who’s crawled out from the wall,” he said in his good ole homeboy drawl.
    “Can I cut in?”
    Kerry looked at Caleb, smiling.
    “Sure, sure,” said Paulie, backing away with his hands up. “Your girl.”
    Caleb pulled Kerry into his arms.
    “I thought you said you couldn’t…”
    The band switched to a romantic ballad, pushing singles from the floor and allowing couples to wrap themselves around each other. The waitress coming back from the stage gave Caleb a little wink.
    Kerry smiled, watching the exchange. “Smart; very smart.”
    Caleb wrapped his arms around her waist, sliding his hands over her denim covered ass and pulling her closer to him. In her boots she was just tall enough to reach her arms up over his shoulders.
    “I wanted my turn for a little of that hip action,” he said, grinding her against him.
    Kerry’s cheeks flushed. She buried her face against the warmth of his chest, letting her breathing speed a little.
    Susan, Paulie, and Luka were all stood watching them. Luka fanned Susan with his napkin as she panted, taking a much needed breather.
    “They’re cute together,” she said after sipping her beer. “I never thought I would see it.”
    “See what?” grumbled Paulie as he necked his bottle.
    “Kerrywithoneofourownkind. Makesachange.” Luka said in his speedy way.
    Paulie rolled his shoulder where Caleb had poked him with a little more force than was necessary.
    “Possessive though, ain’t he?”
    Both Susan and Luka looked over at him with big eyes.
    “Did your fur just fall out or did you really just say that?” asked Susan with a laugh. “All of y’all men—especially pack men—are territorial bastards. He’s gone and claimed her good and proper. I say, ‘good for her’. Maybe now she won’t be treated like such an outsider and…” Dick walked in through the door. Susan’s voice died in her throat and she spat beer as she saw him. “Oh hell, trouble comes in threes. Paulie…”
    Paulie saw him and slammed his beer down. “Intercepting.”
    Paulie made several quick strides through the crowd, shoving people out of his way with some quick apologies. Paulie reached Dick before he got to the edge of the dance floor. He put his hand on the other man’s chest.
    “This isn’t a good idea,” he said to Dick in his firmest, but kindest, voice.
    Dick looked up at Paulie, he had to and glared.
    Paulie saw that his eyes were red-rimmed.“Where is she, ?” he asked.
    “If I refuse to tell you, will you just go home?” Dick glared at him.
    Paulie did a quick flick of his eye to see if Kerry was still on the dance floor but Dick caught it and turned his gaze that way. He saw her with Caleb, pressed up against him with his hands gripping her buttocks. Dick balled his hands into fists. He made to step around Paulie but Paulie got in his way again.
    “No man; not a good idea,” he said seriously. “Dude will kill you.”
    “Get out of my way!” Dick shoved him aside.
    Paulie stared after him, yelling, “Come on, Dick—don’t be as your name suggests.”

Chapter Seven
    Kerry enjoyed being close to Caleb. Slow dancing with him was nice and, in a way, showed he did know how to be romantic. The flowers he’d brought were also a plus in his column. It would have been perfect if it wasn’t for the tight grip he had on her ass. It was almost painful but she