Totally Basted E-Book

Zoey Indiana

• Herausgeber: Zoey Indiana
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Serie: Shifter Speed Dating Romance
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 71

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Blindfolded speed dating for shifters, what could go wrong? Years of putting my profession before my own needs left me with a deep burning need to find my fated mate, but my career isn't in the right place yet. Traveling the world and disappearing for days or weeks at a time for all terrain marathons isn't how I want to welcome my new mate into my life. Whoever she is, she deserves someone who will be there for her day and night. Today, I climbed into my truck for the long drive home for the holidays, the only two months I take off from competing. How will I face the disappointment in my parent's faces when they realize I still haven't found my mate? Even worse, I haven't tried to find her. But when I show up for Thanksgiving after ignoring my brother's ominous warning, my mom has a surprise that leaves me on the run from the shifter world's deadliest ops team. Totally Basted is the second in a series of short, steamy, shifter holiday romances. If you love daring adventures, bearded heroes, and fated mates, then you won't want to miss out on this treat… Download Totally Basted today to start your next tasty adventure! Read them all: 1. Totally Spooked 2. Totally Basted 3. Totally Roasted 4. Totally Renewed 5. Totally Bumbled 6. Totally Lucky Related Series: Black Ops Bodyguard Shifters 1. Marked by the Panter - Jaden (Exclusive to Sultry Shifter Nights) 2. Marked by the Lion 3. Marked by the Cougar 4. Marked by the Jaguar 5. Marked by the Tiger Wallace Wolf Pack 1. Mated to the Enforcer - Scout 2. Mated to the Healer 3. Mated to the Second 4. Mated to the Rogue Wolf 5. Mated to the Alpha

Leseprobe

Totally Basted

A Shifter Speed Dating Romance

Zoey Indiana

Totally Basted

Copyright © 2020 By Zoey Indiana

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, please contact Zoey Indiana at [email protected].

Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Art: ZDesigns

Contents

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Chapter 1

I tried to warn you.

Chapter 2

I've seen this movie, and it's not how I'm leaving this world.

Chapter 3

It's time to talk buster.

Chapter 4

And the screaming orgasms you'll give me, right?

Chapter 5

Wait, am I arguing with a turkey?

Chapter 6

I come to you willingly.

Chapter 7

Kinda like him, he's feisty.

Chapter 8

I'm always okay as long as I have you.

Chapter 9

What do turkey shifters eat on Thanksgiving?

Epilogue

A Note from the Author

Also by Zoey Indiana

About the Author

Join Zoey’s Zine

Want more badass women finding the love they deserve? I’d love to tell you when the next book is available. Plus I always give my elite readers exclusive content, giveaways, sneak peeks, and the first look at new covers.

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To all the diverse individuals who walk through a less than perfect life and survive hard times, you are worthy. I appreciate all the hard work you’ve accomplished to be here and read my book.

You are amazing, and don’t let anyone else tell you different.

I wanted to add a side of humor in my heart wrenching love stories, so I hope you giggle as much as I did while writing this.

1

I tried to warn you.

"You're walking into a trap!"

I rolled my eyes, even though my brother couldn't see me. "Don't you think you're being a bit dramatic?"

"Coop, turn around right now. I'm serious. Once you get here, it's all over. Ma and Pa won't let you leave until they find your mate for you. They've already dug their claws into me, don't let them get you too."

I heard our parents shouting from the background. "It's too late, I just crossed the city limit." I flipped my blinker, then turned onto the back road. "I'll be there soon."

"It was nice knowing you." Scout made a few theatrical noises and then hung up.

Fifteen minutes of going straight and a single turn later, I rolled down the driveway to my parent's house where I'd grown up. Coming home for the holidays was a mixed bag. I loved my parents and brother, but I couldn't stand the disappointed looks when I showed up alone.

My truck wasn't even in gear when they ran out of the house, arms wide open. A smile broke out on my face as I put it in park and got out.

"Coop! We missed you so much!" My mom squealed as her arms turned into a vice grip around me.

"Welcome home, son." My dad patted my shoulder, taking a moment to squeeze it, then stepped back.

"How have you two been? And where is that pesky little brother of mine?" I closed the door to my truck, then wrapped an arm around my mom and guided her into the house.

"Oh, we're always good." Mom stopped me in the hallway. "So Coop, found any promising ladies lately?"

"Marcia, give the man a moment to get comfortable before you start the great inquisition." My dad popped the top on a beer and handed it to me. Then he did the same for himself and dropped into his recliner. He sat on the couch, giving my mom a smile when she wrapped her arm through mine.

"You didn't answer my question." Her voice was sweet, but loaded with a purpose.

"No mom, I haven't found my mate. Besides, I've been too busy recovering from the polar circle and gearing up for Baikal." Loneliness washed through me. Watching my parents give each other loving glances across the living room of my childhood home reminded me of what I was missing in my own life. Every year, I drove home for the holidays and faced my parents, having to admit to them I hadn't found my fated mate. That I'd gone another 365 days without even looking for the soul created to match my own.

My mom patted my thigh, pulling me out of my spiral of self wallowing. "Don't worry Coop, this year mom's here to help."

"I tried to warn you." Scout shook his head as he polished off his beer.

"Oh, ignore your brother. He was always the more dramatic out of the two of you." Mom turned to face me and put on a dazzling smile that sent a shiver of fear down my spine. "You remember the old industrial bar that Karl owned? Well anyway, he passed away and a local shifter bought it."

My gaze darted to my brother, who sat with his face in his hands. So far, I didn't see what the big deal was.

"It turns out the new owner met his mate at a speed shifter dating event. Their meet cute inspired his female to hold more events like it."

I looked at my dad and brother, trying to figure out where the big deal was. Humans had events like this all the time, and while it wasn't common for shifters, the concept wasn't that much of a stretch.

"Ma, tell the poor guy. It's so ludicrous, I just have to see his facial expression." Now Scout sat tapping his fingers on the empty beer bottle while grinning at me. I shot him a glare before mom pulled my attention back to her.

"The males are blindfolded, okay?"

Blindfolded? "Why in the name of all the old gods and new would only the males be blindfolded, or anyone for that matter?"

"Because the females are human."

Implications of her words crashed into me. The Shifter Federation had changed its stance on human shifter meetings? They never stepped in when the occasional shifter mated with the human, but that was because it happened so infrequently, but on a scale like this? It was unheard of… and it would allow hundreds of shifters a chance at finding a mate they wouldn't have found otherwise. And it might be the only chance I had.

Shifter reproduction rates had never been great, but lately full blooded shifter babies seem increasingly rare. On top of that, females were less than ten percent of the new generation, which left a lot of males with no hope of finding a mate, even if they decided to settle with someone who wasn't fated for them.

"Ma, you broke Coop. I can see the smoke coming out of those gears grinding in his brain."

"Shush Scout. Don't forget you're going to the event tonight too."

"But-"

"No buts! I raised you both to listen and do as you're told. Thanksgiving is in two days and I want to see you both sitting at the table with your mates." Her voice raised in pitch until it cracked. She pulled away from me, fanning her face with her hands while blinking rapidly. Guilt stabbed at me as I saw tears roll down her cheeks.

Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her against me and held her while she cried. Over her head, I shot Scout a glare. We both knew how upset she got around the holidays. She longed for the days where there would be younglings in the house again.

"Shh mom, it's alright. Scout and I would be happy to go." I rubbed her back, feeling my soul wrenched into pieces everytime her shoulders heaved.

"Thank you." She sat up and kissed my forehead. "I knew you'd talk some sense into your brother."

I couldn't help myself. "We don't really know if there is anything going on in there, anyway. I still believe Scout was dropped on his head before you found him."

She smacked my chest. "Knock it off. Adopting a son takes a special kind of love."

"He's special all right." Scout threw his empty beer bottle at me, off to one side so it wasn't near our mother. I grabbed it and got off the couch. "Why don't you put that sass where your paws are?"