Tayme (Were Zoo Book 8) Read online

Rory didn’t know anything about marketing, but she wondered if they’d sent out the tour coupons just one time and called it a day.

  “What do you mean?” Celeste asked, arching a brow.

  “Well, maybe not everyone got their coupon. Mail disappears or gets lost. One time I was waiting on a delivery to a PO Box and it took three extra weeks. By the time the envelope showed up, it had a tire tread mark on it, and was partly ripped open and taped shut. Plus, maybe people think they’re a hoax or just an advertisement? Humans seem to be cautious and maybe a little paranoid, too.”

  “That’s...an interesting thought,” Adriana said. “I’m going to mention it to Atticus.”

  At Rory’s confused look, Adriana clarified that Atticus was the gorilla alpha.

  “Maybe they should send out another mailing,” Celeste said. “It couldn’t hurt, right?”

  With a nod, the females lifted the nail dryers when the timers ended, checked that their nails were dry, and declared they were finished.

  “How much do we owe you?” Jess asked.

  “Not a penny,” Celeste said. “Like everything in the marketplace, it’s compliments of the alphas.”

  “I don’t suppose there’s a hair stylist down here?” Rory asked, bringing a lock of red hair forward and looking at the ends. “I could use a trim.”

  “Nope, sorry,” Adriana said. “Maybe one of these days a soulmate will show up who’s a stylist. That would be great.”

  “In the meantime, we have a salon all the females go to,” Celeste said. “It’s outside town. I’ll give you the information and Tayme can take you.”

  “Thanks so much,” Rory said. She accepted hugs from Adriana and Celeste, smiling at her pretty, sparkly nails in the overhead lights. “This was fun.”

  “Come back anytime,” Celeste said. “Just give me a call or leave a note when you’d like to schedule and we’ll get you in.”

  “I think our beautiful nails need some cute dresses to go with them, and maybe a nice night out to dinner. The four of us,” Jess added.

  “I’d love that,” Rory said.

  They visited Anke in the clothing shop, and after some searching through the racks, they found dresses and shoes. They texted their soulmates and told them to find somewhere for a double date and to meet them in the employee cafeteria.

  Twenty minutes after they got up to the cafeteria, Tayme and Auden joined them, both males wearing dress slacks, long sleeved shirts, and ties.

  “Wow, you look gorgeous,” Tayme said, hooking his arm around her waist and pulling her close. He lowered his head and kissed her.

  “Thanks, you look great, too.” She tugged on the tie, thinking she’d never seen a sexier male in all her life. That he was hers forever? Well that was just icing on the cake.

  “It’s the last night of our honeymoon,” he whispered. “I already can’t wait to get you home.”

  “Save the sexy talk, sailor,” she said with a wink. “You’ll horn me up and leave me hanging all through dinner, and that’s not fair.”

  “All’s fair in love and horning you up, sweet thing.”

  He growled softly and it made parts south light up. She swatted his shoulder with a chuckle. “You’re terrible. Wonderfully terrible.”

  “Just for you.”

  The two couples left the park in an unmarked SUV and had an amazing dinner at a Japanese steakhouse, where they were entertained by a fabulous chef who could flip shrimp several feet into the air and perfectly aim them at someone’s open mouth. Rory had sake for the first time, and a plate filled with rare steak and delicious noodles and vegetables. By the time they returned to the park, it had closed for the night, the security staff waving them into the employee lot and wishing them a good night.

  She and Jess parted ways in the hall under the employee cafeteria. “If you want to meet for lunch this week give me a jingle.”

  “I will,” Rory said. “I had a great time tonight.”

  “Me, too.”

  Tayme opened the door to their private area and ushered her into their home. “There’s something on my mind,” she said, toeing off her heels.

  “I have about ten things on my mind, beautiful.”

  She chuckled. “I’m thinking sexy thoughts, too, but also about tomorrow.”

  He stilled, his hand on his tie that was pulled halfway down. “What about it?”

  “You have to go to work. Our honeymoon is over. What does that mean for me?”

  He released his hold on his tie and took her hands in his. Bringing them to his lips, he kissed her knuckles. “Tomorrow you can come with me and see what my day’s like. If you don’t like it, we can find something else for you to do. You could also stay home. You don’t have to work if you don’t want to.”

  “I’d go bananas by myself in the house.”

  “I’m just saying don’t feel obligated to work if you’re not ready to. You had such a stifling upbringing in the nest, and I know you worked hard for your adoptive parents and their people. It would be understandable if you wanted to take a break.”

  “I can’t see myself sitting around doing nothing. Coming to work with you sounds fun.”

  “What’s your favorite ice cream?” He tugged the tie over his head and loosely wrapped it around his hand. “I’ll make you anything you like.”

  “Cookie dough.”

  “I can absolutely do that. We’ll find a way to make it special, too. You can be my official taste tester.”

  She smiled at him and looped her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” He settled his hands on her waist and kneaded her flesh lightly.

  “For being amazing. For loving me, standing by me, taking care of me. You’re wonderful, and I’m the luckiest fox on the planet.”

  “I’m the luckiest bear to have you as my soulmate. My life was empty before you. Now I can’t imagine not having you by my side.”

  With a soft growl, he scooped her up into his arms and kissed her, carrying her to the bedroom for the last night of their honeymoon. He’d told her that they could get legally married anytime, but shifters didn’t care about government pieces of paper. The bonds of soulmates were far stronger than any ceremony they could put on, and she agreed. She wouldn’t mind a ring, though.

  Something sparkly and precious, a symbol of their love.

  Chapter Ten

  The following Friday, Tayme had a hundred things on his mind, the least of which was spending time in his shift during the VIP tours. He’d already found his soulmate. He didn’t really want to be in the paddock. But even the mated males had to take turns in the paddock. When Marcus had said he needed to report to the paddock by two p.m., his bear had simultaneously been happy to have the chance to shift and pissed because he’d have to leave Rory by herself.

  Then Marcus had said there was a paddock worker uniform and boots in the maintenance shed in their paddock, and he expected Rory to be dressed and ready for instruction from the resident zookeeper, Cael, an elephant shifter.

  So here they were, fifteen minutes early, walking up the stairs that lead into the bears’ paddock.

  While he’d had a blast getting to know Rory during their unofficial honeymoon, he could honestly say that working with her during the past week in the ice cream stall had been even better. She was funny and sweet and had a knack with the park patrons, particularly the kids, to put them at ease and make them smile. He’d made a dozen different varieties of cookie dough ice cream, relying on Lexy’s expertise with edible cookie dough to pair unique combinations. Rory had liked everything he made, and there was something supremely satisfying about tending to his mate’s needs.

  Shaking his thoughts back to the matter at hand, he opened the door in the floor of the maintenance shed and held it aloft as she followed him up the hidden staircase. When she was through, he settled the door back down. The other bears who were shifting to be in the paddock that day would join them soon, so he wanted to get his sweetheart dressed fast.
r />   Keeping one foot on the door in the floor so no one could open it until Rory was ready, he pointed to a neatly folded uniform on a workbench. “That’s the uniform.”

  “This is so cool,” she said with a broad smile. He watched as she stripped off her leggings and top, revealing a tank and pink-striped bikinis underneath. It was tempting to just block the door with something heavy and make her smile even brighter, but he fought the urge. Marcus would be pissed if he screwed things up, and he always preferred to stay on his alpha’s good side.

  In no time, Rory was dressed in the khaki uniform and work boots, pulling her gorgeous red hair back into a ponytail.

  “How do I look?” she asked, twirling in a circle.

  He took his foot off the door, opening it so the rest of the sleuth would know they were free to come in, and joined her. “Amazing, sweetheart. You look like a real worker, and that’s the point. It’s good for humans on the tours to see workers in the paddocks from time to time, and we’ve been utilizing the soulmates to fill in. Cael and the other elephants can’t always be in their human forms.”

  “I’m curious about something,” she said, watching as he stripped so he could shift and leave the maintenance shed.

  “I’m an open book, ask away.”

  “Your beasts would recognize your soulmate whether you were in your shift or not, right?”

  “Of course. You and I found each other.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. I’m wondering about the tours. Like why can’t you just rely on your senses to find your soulmates? Why all the tours and tickets and everything?”

  He folded his clothes as he stripped, smiling inwardly when her cheeks pinked with blush as he peeled away the layers of clothing. He loved that she found him sexy. He certainly felt the same about her.

  “It’s a timing issue. You’d think that would be the case, and it has happened in the past. But our people went years without anyone finding a soulmate. The alphas believed that there weren’t enough unmated males and females being drawn to the park in the first place, so the VIP tour tickets were a way to bring them in. But yes, you’re right. Conceivably one of the shifters could be working in the park and feel a connection to a human male or female. The tours, though, brought more of the shifters up into the park at once. Instead of just a few of us at a time for the old tours, everyone who can be spared is in their shift.”

  “I understand. I’m glad I didn’t have to take a tour to find you.”

  He chuckled and moved close, kissing her and then hugging her tightly. Burying his face in her throat, he inhaled her sweet scent and his bear let out a happy gruff sound.

  “You guys decent?” a male called from the stairwell.

  “Hey Cael. Rory is,” Tayme said. “I’m buffing it up here.”

  “Ew, buffing what?” Cael asked, walking up slowly with a hand over his eyes.

  Tayme grinned. “All my manly goodness.”

  “I heard that,” Marcus said as he followed the male up. “No buffing anything.”

  Rory giggled and twisted them around so her back was to the opening in the floor and covering his business. Which was super sweet and made him want to sling her over his shoulder and hoof it somewhere private.

  “I’m decent,” Tayme said. “Kind of.”

  Cael lowered his hand. “Thanks for blocking, Rory. I’m Cael, the resident vet.”

  She turned and leaned her back against Tayme. “Nice to meet you.”

  “So you’re going to do what a zookeeper would normally do as far as cleaning and feeding goes, so that people who are on the tours will see someone actually working.”

  “Cool,” she said. “I’m ready.”

  Cael opened the door to the paddock and said, “Go ahead and shift guys, then come on out.”

  “Me first,” Tayme said. He turned Rory to face him and gave her a kiss. “I’m by your side like glue, sweetness.”

  “I can’t wait to see you in your shift.”

  “I wish you could shift with me, too.”

  “That would be hard to explain,” Cael called from outside. “A random red fox with a bunch of bears in a zoo setting.”

  Tayme snorted. “He’s got a point.”

  “We can shift as a group and go roaming one night soon,” Marcus said. “But get the lead out and shift so we don’t have to rush.”

  “On it.” He gave one more kiss to Rory and then stepped back, shifting to his grizzly. In minutes he went from two legs to four, from hands and feet to massive paws. Shaking out his fur, he bumped a table with his hindquarters and sent supplies flying.

  “Oops.” Rory giggled as she stepped around him and put the things back.

  “It’s easy to forget how big we are,” Seneca said as he walked into the shed.

  “See you guys out there,” she said to the bears, walking with Tayme and Cael into the paddock.

  The huge, grassy area was dotted with trees, rocks, and a man-made pond that Cael explained was fairly shallow because natural bears liked to wade in it. “The big piles of sand are for digging caves, although ours don’t really do that except for show.”

  She rested her arm over Tayme’s neck and rubbed her cheek against his head. He could hear her fox chittering happily.

  “You know you can’t do that when there are people around, right?” Cael asked, giving them both an arched brow.

  Tayme swatted out at the male’s leg and he jumped out of the way with a barking laugh. “Okay, okay. Seriously, though, it’s one thing for a zookeeper to be out in the paddock picking up trash and feeding the animals, but we wouldn’t act like that with natural bears. They might take your arm off.”

  She nodded, her cheek rubbing against his furry one. “I promise to keep my hands off my sexy bear.”

  Tayme chuffed in happiness.

  They walked around the paddock, Cael explaining what Rory would do during the tours. Feeding was part of it – they had frozen whole trout to eat, which was one of his favorite things. But he was most looking forward to the honeycomb.

  An idea for honey ice cream popped into his head and he hoped to hell he remembered it.

  By the time the tours started, most of the sleuth was in the paddock, with Rory tossing trout to them. Tayme stayed by her side, devouring the honeycomb she gave him for a treat and licking the dripping honey off her fingers. By the time the sun was setting and the last tour had passed by, the paddock was spotless, the bears were ready to shift back, but unfortunately none of the other bears had found their soulmate.

  They let the others shift in the shed first, and then he and Rory walked inside. Marcus and Seneca were waiting for them, and as Tayme shifted and got dressed, Marcus smiled at them.

  “You did great today.”

  “Thanks,” Rory said. “It was fun.”

  “Well, you don’t need to do it too often, but every now and then is a good idea to keep up appearances. Anyway, I heard that you suggested the alphas send out the VIP coupons again. Is that true?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “Because the alphas talked about it and think it’s a good idea. When Adriana mentioned it, she said that a lot of humans might just discard the tickets believing them to be an advertisement or to have costly strings attached. We’re going to send them out again.”

  “That’s great,” she said. “Hopefully some more soulmates will come into the zoo.”

  “The alphas believe that even just one shifter finding their soulmate is worth it, but of course the unmated males really, really want a lot of soulmates to show up.”

  “Totally understandable,” Rory said.

  “You two want to join us for dinner at my place?”

  “Hard pass on that, boss,” Tayme said. “I haven’t been able to talk to my sweetheart in, like, six hours.”

  “Talk. Right.” Marcus shook his head with a laugh and said goodnight. When they were alone, Tayme took her hand and drew her close, his bear rolling under his skin.

  “I’m not really inter
ested in talking.”

  “You don’t say?” Her eyes flashed to the color of her fox and the scent of her arousal spiked in the air. “I’m not really either.”

  He ducked his shoulder and tossed her gently over it, and she giggled and gave his butt a slap. “I can walk you loon.”

  “This is faster,” he promised.

  He hoofed it down the steps, stopping to pull the door shut and lock it, and then he hurried them to the private area and into the house. He laid her down on the bed and she stretched out, her belly showing as her shirt lifted with the motion. He was about to tear their clothes off with his claws when he remembered honey.

  “Honey.”

  “Yeah, baby?” she asked.

  He grinned and tugged his phone from his pocket. “No, I mean I had an idea for honey ice cream when we were out in the paddock and I was afraid I’d forget. I almost did.”

  “That sounds good,” she said, rising onto one elbow. “You could maybe put a piece of honeycomb on top?”

  He lifted his gaze to her, his mind spinning. “That’s a fantastic idea.” He added the honeycomb idea to his notes app then put his phone away. “Thanks, sweetness.”

  “No problem.”

  He unlaced her work boots. “We can work on the recipe tomorrow. Eventually.”

  “Oh?”

  “I plan for both of us to be extremely worn out tonight, so sleeping in is mandatory.”

  “I love how you think, Tayme.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Rory looked out over the lunch crowd and smiled at the number of kids waiting in line, their eyes alight with happiness at the prospect of eating ice cream. She’d been at the park for nearly a month and having the time of her life. Tayme was amazing and the sleuth had welcomed her with open arms. She was always happy to see Jess during their twice-weekly luncheons in the marketplace. They’d both found their niche in a shifter zoo, which was something Rory had never contemplated.

  The smell of grilling beef made her stomach growl and Tayme cleared his throat. “We can take a dinner break soon.”

  “You have ears like a bat,” she said, shaking her head. “And that sounds good to me.”