Chasing Paradise

Chapter 1

Perfect. Ethan devoured the golden-haired woman with his eyes as she walked past in a red string bikini. Her lithe form was flawlessly displayed in red cloth swatches tied behind her neck and at each hip.

As he looked around, Ethan breathed the crisp ocean air. Not a wolf searching for a mate in sight. Just plenty of sexy shifters in skimpy outfits. What more could a man ask for?

He’d been wanting to vacation here for a long time, but this place was even better than he imagined. The beachside resort, located on the Californian coast, was renowned throughout the world as one of the best catering to shifter needs. Beside the beach, a large thick forest spread out for miles and was kept fully stocked with prey for their inner animals to hunt. Supposedly there was also a playground of some sort on the ocean floor for the aquatic shifters. Not surprising considering a family of otters owned and ran the place.

Ethan smiled as he remembered the very friendly female otter who had checked him into the hotel earlier. The flirtatious woman had basically invited him into a closet for a quickie. In fact, all the female staff had been particularly forward.

Ethan glanced around the beach again as he sipped his drink. Sunshine, warm water, umbrella drinks, and plenty of scantily clad women…this place was as close to paradise as he would ever get.

Man, was he glad to get away. He hadn’t realized how much he’d needed a vacation until he got here. He’d never really thought about it before. But after his older brother, Jason, Premier of their wolf pack, had mated, every single female in his pack had turned their mate-trapping gazes on him. Vultures–the whole lot of them. Ethan had known he needed to escape if he wanted to retain his freedom–and his sanity.

Sharing the responsibilities of the Alpine Woods pack with Jason and their younger brother Danny, was an honor he didn’t take lightly. But between his position in the pack and building the software business from the ground up with his brothers, Ethan was wiped out. It had been past time he did something for himself. His duties left him little time to enjoy the simple things in life. But for the next two weeks, he was a free man. He was determined to spend every minute of his vacation enjoying all the pleasures available before going back to the meat market his town had become, with him as the prime cut of fillet.

The woman in the red bathing suit, a cheetah judging by her scent, twitched her hips as she walked past again, enticing him with her smile. The string ties swayed gently, begging his hands to untie them. Women were definitely high on the agenda.

Although he never lacked for female attention, ever since his brother had started seeing his mate, Samantha, he’d had to be more cautious. Remembering all the grief he’d given Jason for not taking full advantage of the female attention he’d gotten as Premier, Ethan wondered why Jason hadn’t hit him. He would have if their positions had been reversed. He hadn’t understood until it was his turn. Those females didn’t want a night of hot sex. Well, they didn’t only want a night of hot sex. They were hunting for a mate, and Ethan had no desire to be trapped anytime in the near future. He loved women way too much to limit himself to just one.

Scanning the beach he counted numerous women he wanted to know intimately. What a the perfect place for him to let loose and unwind. People traveled from all over the world to come here, and after seeing the place for himself, he wasn’t surprised. Every type of shifter imaginable wasn’t just welcomed, but catered to. Ethan fully intended to sample all the variety this resort had to offer. He winked at a group of giggling foxes when he caught them staring.

A trio of female otters emerged from the water, drawing his attention. He watched as they shifted to their human forms, chasing each other around the beach. Their curvy forms and ample breasts were bare to any who cared to look as they scampered around. Ethan took another swig from his drink. Yep, this was going to be a great trip. The staff alone pretty much guaranteed it.

Otter females were known for their lack of inhibition and playful spirits but he’d never met one before today. Based on what he’d seen so far, the rumors were spot on. They loved to flirt and fool around as much as Ethan did. He’d also heard they were one of the more promiscuous shifter breeds. Many of the staff had already made it clear he would be welcome to take things further than harmless flirting.

He looked around once again and wondered which one he’d take to his bed first. So many choices and he fully planned to explore them all. A woman walking down the beach caught his eye. At first, his eyes moved past her, but they jumped back, staring as she moved away from the hotel.

What was she wearing? Dressed in a black skirt and a button-down sapphire blue shirt, complete with clunky black heels, the woman stomped over to the giggling otter females. Her brown hair was pulled back in a severe bun and oval-shaped glasses framed her large round eyes. She captured his attention for being so completely out of place. What kind of woman wore a business suit to the beach?

Sitting up a bit straighter, Ethan expected her to strip and go for a swim. The desire to see what she hid beneath all those clothes kept him from looking away. Something about the woman pulled at him. But instead of joining the other otters in their playful teasing, she stood next to them and gestured toward the hotel.

As soon as she started talking, the other women stopped playing, wrapped themselves in towels, and nodding contritely, made their way back inside. Too bad. Ethan had been enjoying the view.

But despite knowing the party was over, he couldn’t take his eyes off the austere-looking woman. The desire to take down her hair and strip her, right here for all to see, warred with his strange need to protect and shield her. What was wrong with him? He shook his head, trying to clear out the cobwebs.

The woman wasn’t at all his type. Not only was her clothing rigid, but her whole personality radiated structure. Ethan preferred to think of himself as a “take it easy” kind of guy. The life of the party. But this woman looked like she’d never even been to one.

The otter females had been having fun, but after one look from this woman, they headed inside. It was hard to imagine her ever letting loose or running around the beach naked. No, there was no reason he should be thinking of this woman in any light, except how to avoid her. But for some reason his eyes wouldn’t obey the command to look away.

The woman was curvy like all the other otters. Not fat, but with a Marilyn Monroe figure many women would kill for. Her hips, even encased in the business-like black skirt, begged a man to grip them as she rode him.

Ethan shook himself out of his musings. What was he thinking? This woman probably made love fully dressed so only necessary parts touched. Not his type at all.

He continued to stare as one of the male waiters who brought drinks to beach dwellers walked over and spoke with the woman. A deep possessive growl rumbled from somewhere nearby. A clear warning to back off. Surprised, Ethan looked around trying to find the cause.

The shifters lying on the beach glanced at him warily. Him? Had he made those growling noises? No way. He took a hasty sip of his drink and glanced back toward the otter, only to realize she was gone. Panic gripped him, his wolf frantic until he spotted her climbing the stairs back inside. Without stopping to think, Ethan grabbed his towel and chased after the woman who held his attention, desperate to keep her in view.

What a horrible day this was turning out to be. She loved her job. She really did. But it wasn’t always easy being manager of an exclusive shifter-only resort. Some days were worse than others, and today happened to be one of those days.

Word among the staff was that a very handsome, very alpha, and very flirty wolf had checked in this morning. As a result, the female members of her romp were doing anything and everything possible to get his attention.

She wasn’t a strict boss. There were no rules against the staff flirting with the guests. They had freedom to take guests into their beds if they chose to, as long as it didn’t interfere with their work.

But for some reason, this particular wolf had her entire staff giggling like they’d never seen attractive shifters before. As if handsome alpha men didn’t check into the resort every week. The level of irresponsibility this particular shifter inspired didn’t make sense. Taking time out of her busy schedule to go reprimand some staff who had been playing naked in the water instead of doing their jobs should never be something she had to do.

Like she didn’t know they were trying to attract attention. She would’ve known even if she hadn’t watched them take their time covering up their nudity after shifting. Personally, Gwen thought running around the beach stark naked to attract attention was a bit…desperate, but it wasn’t breaking any rules. Clothing was optional on the beach, considering the main appeal for their guests was the ability to shift whenever the mood struck, but most guests preferred bathing suits.

There’d been no point looking for the man who held their attention. While she didn’t mind if her staff fooled around, she, as manager, had to remain impartial. The fact was, she held herself to a higher standard and as a result had strict guidelines in place. It had taken her years to rise to the top and become manager and she wasn’t about to ruin everything she worked for on a night or two of fun. It was all about priorities. Hers might not line up with those of the other otters in the romp, but Gwen had a good grasp on what mattered.

Besides, she’d never been like the other otters she grew up with, who tended to fall just short of promiscuous. She might not have waited until her mating, but she did believe sex should be reserved for someone who meant something. Someone special. So far only a couple of men had made the grade.

Even her mind’s chuckle sounded bitter. If she’d waited until she found a mate to have sex, it would’ve been an awfully long wait. It wasn’t that she was old exactly, but most otters found their mates in their early twenties. At twenty-nine, she was starting to wonder if she was ever destined to find a mate of her own. Granted, most otters also mated within the romp, something Gwen had realized at a young age wasn’t in the cards for her.

One reason she’d stayed at the resort was the hope he’d come to her. Every kind of man and shifter imaginable came through the doors of the resort. Many more than she could have met on her own. But never had she felt a tingle of awareness signaling the presence of her mate.

Maybe she’d missed him. Maybe he had been here and she had been too absorbed in work to notice. And now she’d missed her chance. Or maybe she just wasn’t destined to have a mate.

She shoved the depressing thoughts away. They’d been coming more and more since her birthday a few months ago. Life without a mate got harder every time she had to watch one of her friends pair up and start having pups.

Absorbed in her thoughts, she didn’t see the wall in front of her until it almost smacked her in the face. Strong hands caught her arms as she stumbled to a halt.

“Whoa, easy there.” The man behind her chuckled. The deep voice rolled through her, making her shiver in new awareness. It lit fires inside she hadn’t known existed until now. Looking over her shoulder into the chocolate-brown eyes twinkling down at her, she lost a little piece of her soul in their depths.

Her breath caught in her throat as a warm smile curved deliciously edible lips, drawing her gaze to his mouth. No wonder her staff was so enamored. Without a shadow of a doubt, this was the man who had her staff on high alert.

Breathing deeply, Gwen inhaled his woodsy scent. Her nose twitched as the scent stoked those fires inside higher. Without pulling out of his grip, she turned around to face him, wanting to get a better look at the man. His hair hung past his ears in a careless mass, giving him an easygoing look matched perfectly by his open smile and laughing eyes. The light brown was liberally streaked with blond highlights, making it look like he spent a lot of time in the sun.

Her eyes were drawn downward as she took in the whole picture. Except for a towel slung over one shoulder, he was bare from the waist up. Although he was obviously not a bodybuilder, subtly defined muscles could be seen under the light sprinkle of chest hair. The dark blue bathing suit encased his hips, falling to his knees. It was rude to stare. She knew that. But Gwen couldn’t help herself. Before her stood her fantasy of the perfect guy.

“Uh, um.” Words would be nice. Any words really. But nothing came to her. Why wasn’t her brain working? The dimples at the sides of his mouth deepened, mesmerizing Gwen.

“I did catch you before you hit the wall, didn’t I? You didn’t hit your head?” The laughter in his eyes told her he already knew the answer. And how much he enjoyed her current inability to process words.

“Thanks.” The word burst out, making her cringe. That was the word she had been searching for. Apparently, looking cool and collected was too much to ask. “I mean… yes, you caught me before I hit the wall. Sorry, I was just startled.”

He raised one eyebrow and coherent thought fled once again.

Husky laughter alerted her they weren’t alone. The one time she lost her head, it had to be in the lobby of the hotel, where anyone could witness her blushing and blustering like a twit.

A tall lean cheetah in a fire-engine-red bathing suit strutted up behind the wolf. If the few strings barely on the right side of decency could really be called a bathing suit. And they call otters promiscuous.

The cheetah put her hand on the man’s shoulder, shooting a glare at Gwen before turning her attention to the wolf.

Gwen didn’t wait to hear what she said, seizing the opportunity to make a hasty retreat down the hall. God knew what her pathetic ogling of the man must have looked like. So much for professionalism.

Disappearing into her office, she shut the door against the noise outside. She leaned against the heavy wooden barrier, closing her eyes on a deep breath.

Sweaty, tangled images of her and the man played across her closed eyelids. Her eyes popped open in surprise. What was wrong with her? It had been a long time since her schoolgirl crush days. Concentrating on evening her breathing, she slowed the rapid beating of her heart, but couldn’t dispel the images of the wolf.

For a moment she’d thought she had found her mate.

But that was ridiculous. Obviously, the cheetah had already captured the wolf. Her otter was just confused. Having been longing for a mate moments before his appearance, her mind hooked onto the first attractive man she’d seen. Besides, who wouldn’t think of mating that man?

Stupid. How could she chastise her staff when she’d fallen into the same trap the rest of them had? She had to do better. It was time to get back to reality. Whoever her mate might be, it was unlikely he would look anything like the hunky wolf in the hallway.

Checking her watch, Gwen started at how late it had gotten. Almost dinnertime. Most of the guests would be making their way to one of the hotel restaurants in the next hour or two. If she worked late, she’d be able to go for a swim and hunt up her dinner without disturbing any of the guests. With that resolve in mind, Gwen sat behind her desk and got to work.

Ethan watched his prey scurry away. Damn it. He hadn’t been that entertained in awhile. Seeing her reaction to his presence made him want to push her up against the wall she’d almost run into and kiss her senseless. Chances were she wouldn’t even complain. There had been interest in her gaze as it raked over him. Surprise too, but definite interest. It might as well have been written on her forehead in black permanent marker. It would have been easy to guide her into his bed, something he realized he’d craved from the moment he put his hands on her arm. But she’d scampered away like a frightened rabbit as soon as the cheetah had walked up.

Ethan looked down at the woman clinging to him. When he’d seen her out on the beach, he’d thought she was one of the sexiest women he’d ever seen. Yet, for some reason, the attraction he’d felt earlier had vanished. Sure, she was pretty. Gorgeous even. But he no longer wanted to hump her leg.

Something was definitely wrong with him. The woman was sex personified. Of course he was interested. Who wouldn’t be?

Acting on reflex he’d taken years to perfect, he flashed the woman his most charming smile.

“I don’t believe we’ve met before. I’m Jacqueline,” the woman purred.

Common sense made him swallow the laugh before it could escape. Here she was, her body practically wrapped around his, introducing herself. But he didn’t think he would gain any points by drawing attention to the fact. She was so close, Ethan felt her breasts rise and fall against his chest with every breath.

“I’m Ethan. Can I buy you a drink, Jacqueline?” He forced the words out. Whatever reluctance he had, he needed to get over it. This vacation was about letting loose and having fun. Jacqueline seemed like the perfect place to start.

The cheetah stepped impossibly closer, pressing against him from toe to chest. “I’ve got a bottle of wine in my room I’ve been dying to try out. You like wine, don’t you, Ethan?” The fake pout on her lips should have turned him on, but instead had the opposite effect. Man, he needed to get a grip.

He hoped the wooden smile he threw her was believable. “Oh, I definitely like wine.” It felt like a lie and hung heavily in the air, taunting him.

With a come-hither look, Jacqueline led the way and Ethan forced himself to follow. The elevator doors had barely closed when the cheetah pounced. Her tan arms clung to his shoulders as her tongue forced itself into his mouth.

Ethan had kissed his share of women, and Jacqueline was an expert. But as the elevator made its way to her floor, he realized, kissing skills aside, the hard-on he’d sported from the moment he’d put his hands on the otter, had deflated in the presence of the cheetah.

Whether it was the way she’d thrown herself at him, or perhaps that he’d found more appealing prey, he wasn’t the least bit interested in a night of debauchery with Jacqueline. His wolf wanted to chase. She wasn’t giving him much of a run.

Ethan was gentle but firm as he pushed the persistent cat away when the doors opened onto her floor.

“I think I’m going to grab a drink downstairs instead. Another time, maybe.” Ethan tried to be polite but there was no easy way to turn her offer down. Apparently I didn’t try hard enough, he thought as Jacqueline’s expression quickly give way to anger.

“Excuse me?” A lesser man would have winced at the incredulous tone. “I know I didn’t hear you correctly.”

“Afraid you did. I’m sure you can find a replacement easily enough.”

Jacqueline huffed, sticking her arm out as the elevator started to close between them. “You won’t get another chance.”

“I understand. Have a nice vacation, Jacqueline. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” She didn’t bother responding, whipping her head around and storming down the hallway. Ethan watched her tight butt as the elevator doors closed and couldn’t help but question his sanity. What the hell was holding him back?