Totally Roasted E-Book

Zoey Indiana

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

Seitenzahl: 67

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Blackmailed to take down speed dating for shifters, what could go wrong? I've spent years trying to put my past behind me. After giving up everything in my past life to move forward, I finally have everything I need. As the chef for a prestigious restaurant in the city, I am proud to say I host a Christmas dinner for those who wouldn't have a hot meal otherwise. Until my past rips its way back into my life. If I don't do what they want, I'll lose everything I've worked so hard for… Unless I help expose this underground speed dating event for shifters and humans. But when the fated mate I didn't think existed walked through the door, I knew I had to have her, even if I have to risk losing everything else. Totally Roasted is the third 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 Roasted 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 Roasted

A Shifter Speed Dating Romance

Zoey Indiana

Totally Roasted

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 noticed you didn't deny we're mates.

Chapter 2

You're that Graham?

Chapter 3

Twenty. Five. Days?

Chapter 4

The kitchen is your domain, and the bedroom is mine.

Chapter 5

A bit of this, a bit of that, but either way, I'm in charge.

Chapter 6

You're under arrest.

Chapter 7

Oops, I forgot to open the door. Rookie mistake.

Chapter 8

Are you serious?

Chapter 9

Ah yes, that pesky little timer going off on your brain… It's annoying, isn't it?

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 noticed you didn't deny we're mates.

This was a bad idea. I knew from the moment I'd received the knock on my door with the invitation I should've said no, but nope, I was now at a highly illegal event as a spy for the Northwestern Shifter Council. How ludicrous was the idea of speed dating for shifters? Fated mates were a fairytale, a lie that parents used to motivate young shifters to excel at life, nothing more. Besides, after this was over, all of these shifters would be charged with risking the secrecy of our kind. Which was, by far, the worst crime a shifter could commit. Or they'd totally misjudged the entire thing, and I'd walked into the domain of a murderer that humans would some day learn about in a true crime episode.

I dragged the edge of the blindfold off. Looking around the room, I took in the ominous appearance: riveted metal comprising all four walls, and the door looked like the kind seen in movies on submarines… maybe real submarines too, but I'd never been on one of those so I didn't know. There was some basic furniture which seemed much newer than it should be, and a single red candle burning on a small table in front of the couch. Boy, did this murderer have strange tastes or what.

I slid the blindfold back over my eyes, not wanting to get disqualified if they caught me... too much was at stake. I'd worked hard to move on after working as an enforcer for the council. Now I was an honest business male that didn't go around ruining the lives of others. Well, except this one event, but I couldn't risk them recalling me into service. That life wasn't for me. I wasn't that shifter anymore. Now my days consisted of creating the best recipes in the city by day and providing free meals to starving children at night. Children shouldn't have to fight and steal to survive. Plus I needed to start preparing for the big Christmas dinner my restaurant held every year for families in need. We prepared hundreds of meals and delivered them to homes all over the city on Christmas day.

Not a single sound came into the room until I heard the door creak. A noise that sounded like the wheel spinning echoed through the room. When the sound of metal moving met my ears, every muscle in my body tensed. Who was there… a female or a murderer?

A temptation to remove my blindfold seized me. I didn't enjoy giving up control in this way. After the childhood I had growing up, I built my life around being in control of everything around me. Was it healthy, probably not, but it made me a functional adult. Most of the time.

My nose twitched as an unfamiliar scent washed over me, branding me with promises I'd never considered before. In that second, a hope I'd killed many years ago reared its head. Mine. This female was my mate. I could feel every atom of my being trying to pull me closer.

I heard a soft noise, like my female was trying to say something but couldn't quite get the words out. The smirk crossed my lips before I could stop myself. Patting the seat next to me, I invited her to sit. Several seconds passed as not even a single footstep interrupted the silence. She just remained next to the now closed door. Inhaling deeper, I double checked she was indeed my female. Fate was a cruel bitch to hand me something I didn't believe in while I was in the process of ruining it. Fine, if she wouldn't come to me, I'd go to her.

Taking into account where I remembered seeing the door, I eased off the couch and took the few steps toward her. Still, I didn't hear her move even though I felt the warmth of her body near mine. With careful movements, I pressed a hand against the wall and slipped my free one into my pocket. I didn't want to overwhelm her too much. "Come on, mate, don't be shy."

I heard her suck in a breath, then clear her throat. "I knew it was a strong feeling, but never expected it to be like this." Her voice slid over me, sending shivers through me. I wanted to hear her say something else.

"Mate, you have no idea how much better it will get." Where was this coming from? I didn't believe in fated mates, but it felt like a switch had been turned on in my brain. My thoughts were solely focused on her, and right now nothing else mattered, not even the mission.

"Oh, you misunderstood. I wasn't talking about the mate bond pulling at me." Again, the silkiness of her voice made me want to claim her so no other male would dare to look at her. I wanted my scent all over her.

"Then tell me what about me had you speechless." I couldn't wait to hear her answer.

"I'm still reeling at the realization I'm fated to mate a male who thinks he's god's gift to females." She sniffed a few times. "You know, usually the douchey alpha male types smell better, even if it's an overused scent you can get off any store shelf. What is that scent anyway, ode to grease?"

I pulled back, glaring at her through the blindfold. Was the mate bond wrong? She'd admitted to feeling the pull too, so I didn't think that was the case. What else could this draw I felt to her be if not the mating bond? "I'm the owner and head chef of one of the top restaurants in this city. That is the smell of success and accomplishment."

"Hmm, my mistake. I thought the carefully coordinated aromatherapy scents of the private practice psychology office that I own was a better embodiment of that combination. That and I smell better when I leave work." I noticed she hadn't moved despite her protests.