[Author's Note: I apologize for the extra-long delay. After a bad case of writer's block and several rewrites I finally finished Chapter 8. I hope you all enjoy this installment of Shayna and Jake's romance. - Angel]
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Shayna stood in the middle of Jake's en suite bathroom and marveled at the opulent décor. The ultra-modern fixtures, granite-topped vanity, large spa bathtub, and huge shower belied the home's rustic exterior. In fact, the whole interior of the house looked like the setting of a home design magazine spread.
When she first walked up to the one-story log cabin she had horrible memories of camping in the woods with her uncle and cousins. She even doubted there was indoor plumbing because it looked so basic from the outside, as did all of the homes she saw in this part of the compound. Although she tried to hide it, she knew Jake was aware of her initial impression by the smirk he wore as he led her up the walkway. But when he opened the door, Shayna's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she took in the elegance that awaited her. Much to her surprise, Jake's home was luxurious and immaculate yet warm and inviting.
Since Jake had to go back to the community building to talk with his parents about helping Marisa, he gave her free rein to make herself comfortable however she liked. He promised to be back as soon as he could then left her alone in his home. Once she got over her initial surprise, she took a few minutes to inspect his well-designed and well stocked kitchen as well as explore the rest of his home. The floor plan was open with only the two bedrooms and bathrooms closed off from the main living space.
The first bedroom was obviously Jake's home office as it contained a large desk, computer, and two floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Across the hall from the office was a full bathroom which meant the last door in the hall led to Jake's bedroom. She was inexplicably nervous about entering his private domain yet she was curious to see if his personality was stamped on his bedroom.
Realizing she was being silly about it, she opened his bedroom door and stepped inside. His bedroom, actually a suite, was in keeping with the rest of the home with its elegant décor and comfortable furnishings. Of course he had a huge bed that dominated one side of the room. It looked larger than a regular king-size bed and she guessed it must have been custom made. The colors were decidedly masculine; rich tones of burgundy, gray, and black adorned the bed and coordinating window treatments as well as other accessories in the room.
The last stop was his bathroom and although she admired the room's amenities, her eyes kept wandering to the huge bathtub. A nice relaxing bath was indeed in order since she'd been in a constant state of tension for more than a few hours now. Although she had a short nap on the drive to New York, her sleep was anything but restful and the muscles in her back and neck were in knots.
Having made up her mind, Shayna turned on the faucet and let the tub fill with warm water while she rummaged through her backpack for a hairclip. After finding a towel and washcloth in one of the cabinets, Shayna stripped off her clothes and piled her hair on top of her head securing it with the clip. Stepping into the water, a satisfied sigh escaped her lips as she sank into its inviting heat, instantly feeling her muscles begin to loosen. Resting her head on the back of the tub, she closed her eyes and thought about her first meeting with Jake's parents.
As they'd walked up to the community building, Shayna was as nervous as she'd been when the big red wolf jumped in front of them at the gate. She had no idea what to expect from Jake's parents or from anyone else at the compound. And as far as she knew, she was the only human among them. It didn't matter that Marisa was there because, well, she was a Werewolf just like everyone else here.
As for Marisa, she seemed pretty nervous as well which kind of surprised Shayna. She'd only known her great-grandmother a very short while but until now, she'd seemed confident and capable of dealing with any situation. But at that moment, she wore a tortured expression on her face as if she was walking to her doom. Presumably seeing Gerard St. Simon again, especially in wolf form, had rattled her and now she had to resolve her situation with him.
As soon as they entered the building, a tall dark-skinned woman crossed the room and wrapped Jake in a fierce hug. Then she stepped slightly back from him and examined him with deep brown eyes.
"Are you okay, Jacques?" she asked in French, her husky voice laced with concern. "Sebastian told us what's going on. Oh, son, I'm so glad you're home!" she cried as she hugged him again. Jake's hold on Shayna loosened as he hugged his mother with his free arm.
Sebastian walked over to Shayna and swept her up in a bear hug, effectively removing Jake's arm from around her. Smiling broadly, he said, "Hey little sis," and gave her a loud smooch on her cheek.
Jake immediately growled and stepped away from his mother's embrace, heading for Sebastian with murder in his eyes. His brother chuckled and set Shayna down between him and his brother. Neatly sidestepping Jake and moving out of harm's way, Sebastian turned his attention to another man seated at a table across the room.
"See, Dad? I told you," he said, addressing his father in French. "He's done." Sebastian smiled, obviously enjoying seeing Jake so far gone over his mate. He genuinely liked Shayna and it amused him that she didn't seem to realize how she had his brother going off the deep end for her.
Jake stood with his arms possessively around Shayna's waist, growling at his brother until his mother laid a hand on his arm. Giving both brothers warning looks, she stepped around Jake until she faced Shayna. Extending her hand, she smiled warmly and spoke in English, "You must be Shayna. It is such a pleasure to meet you."
She tugged Shayna forward ever so slightly and Jake reluctantly released his hold on her. "I'm Isabelle, Jacques' and Sebastian's mother." Folding Shayna's arm around hers, she led Shayna across the room to her husband.
"Shayna, I'd like you to meet my husband, Claude," Isabelle said.
Shayna extended her free hand to the big man as he pushed his chair from the table but her eyes widened as he stood to his full height. He was a little taller than Jake and just as solidly built with straight black hair and striking features that reminded her of the portraits of Native Americans she'd seen in history books. His face was set in a harsh frown as he glared at Sebastian but it was replaced by a disarming smile as he took Shayna's hand in both of his much larger ones.
"It is my pleasure to meet you Shayna. Please forgive my sons for their rude behavior," he said eyeing them sternly again before returning his attention to her. "I promise they were not brought up to be that way."
Shayna found herself flanked by Jake's parents but their kindness put her at ease. "It's so nice to meet you both. I apologize for coming at such short notice and under these circumstances," she stammered.
"Nonsense," Isabelle said. "You are welcome any time under any circumstances. Jacques should have brought you to meet us sooner." She gave Jake a pointed look then turned back to Shayna. "But you are here now and that's all that matters. Come, you must be tired. I have a room waiting for you in our guest house. You can rest while we discuss this business of Gerard St. Simon."
At that, Jake finally spoke. "She's staying with me, Mother. If you two would kindly release your hostage, I'll take her to my cabin so she can get some rest." He sounded a bit irritated that his mother assumed his mate would be sleeping anywhere but with him. But his parents were amused by his tone as they hadn't expected anything less from him. Of course he wouldn't want to be separated from Shayna, especially since they were not yet truly mated and there were plenty of unattached males in the pack who might be interested in her.
Claude Montrose laughed and patted Shayna's hand before releasing her. Of all his children, Jake was perhaps the most determined and persistent, finding and executing the most direct path to acquiring what he wanted. And when he decided he wanted something it was pretty much a done deal. He almost felt sorry for the young lady...almost.
"I hate to tell you, but you have your hands full with that one," he told her, nodding in Jake's direction.
Shayna was inclined to agree but remained silent. He had already proven how persuasive he could be without really trying. For some reason her brain just didn't function rationally around him. Her heart and body responded so strongly to him that she feared he could manipulate her into doing whatever he wanted. Her only hope was that he wouldn't ruthlessly exploit that fact to his advantage.
Isabelle Montrose turned, still holding Shayna's arm and led her back to her son. "We'll talk later, once we get this mess all sorted out. I'll expect you and Jacques for lunch this afternoon." She smiled and gave her a big hug. "Welcome to our home."
Shayna returned her smile. "Thank you both very much," she said to his parents.
Jake then silently walked with her to his cabin. He held her loosely by the waist as they walked out of the building, past several houses until they came to his. All the homes looked the same in the dim lighting that lined the walkway. The only distinction Shayna could make out in the semi-darkness that surrounded them was the number 16 carved into the front door.
He didn't linger when he led her into the house. He seemed suddenly in a hurry as she moved beyond the foyer into the living room and barely brushed her lips with his before he told her to make herself at home then left. It was then that she realized she hadn't said goodnight to Marisa before leaving with Jake. Trusting that Marisa was in good hands, she occupied herself exploring Jake's private domain.
And now, as she relaxed in the bathtub, she also realized Marisa would likely be staying by herself in the guest house where Shayna wished she were at that moment. A sliver of apprehension coursed up her spine at the knowledge that she and Jake would be alone when he returned. Not that it would have mattered before, but now that the truth about him was starting to sink in...
Somehow back in her apartment it seemed incomprehensible that there was really such a thing as a werewolf. Since she'd seen him only partially changed, she could have easily allowed herself to believe it was the result of her overactive imagination. But seeing full-blown wolves definitely made it more real. The wolves outside the gate to the grounds were huge, much larger than she could have imagined, and she was both fascinated and frightened knowing that they actually existed. She couldn't determine which feeling was more prominent nor was she sure how she could live with this new knowledge.
