Free Cougar Wants [Cougarlicious] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Cooper McKenzie

myself.”
    “Me, too,” Gwen added.
    With a deep breath , which she released on a sigh, Kimber told them everything she knew about the man , down to the make and model of his truck and license plate number.
    “That’s not a lot of information, but it should be enough,” Stacy said. Kimber heard the tapping of a keyboard.
    She remained silent as Stacy worked on her computer, knowing her friend would argue that she didn’t have to do it , though it would be interesting to hear what she had found.
    After another minute, Stacy swore softly. “This guy is living off the grid. Other than confirming he was indeed born and has a cell phone, I can’t find anything out about him.”
    “So, he’s not a sex offender, ax murderer , and he doesn’t have three wives,” Kimber said with a smile. “Admit it, he’s clean.”
    “I still think we should meet him,” Gwen said.
    “And you will , in three months at our next weekend. Just hope I can make it,” Kimber assured her friends.
    “You’ll be there with Tate in tow , even if we have to come and drag you there by your chestnut hair,” Gwen assured her, sounding unusually bossy. “Now , about the reason you had to rent out a room to a stranger. Why didn’t you come to us?”
    “I’m forty years old. I have to stand on my own two feet. I am, after all, supposed to be an adult and self-supporting, not a sponge off my family and friends,” Kimber said, her earlier buoyant mood deflating like a balloon with a slow leak as she justified herself to the two women who she thought always had her back.
    “Girl, you are an artist, not a financial planner. You need to concentrate on your art and following your passion, not worry about how to pay the bills and keep the lights on,” Stacy scolded. “Do you need money now? Are you sure renting the room will be enough?”
    Kimber smiled. Her friends were so loyal and loving, but she could not take from them. “Renting the room to Tate will more than fill the gap between bills and income. And I’m still waiting to hear back from that new publisher. I’ll call them next week if I don’t hear before then.”
    “You keep your phone on you at all times. If Tate does anything, and I mean anything , to make you feel uncomfortable, I want you to call one of us immediately. Do you understand?” Stacy sounded like she was giving orders to the troops and not talking to her best friend.
    “Yes, mama,” Kimber said with a chuckle.
    Kimber was grateful when the conversation finally moved the spotlight off her and onto Stacy’s latest charity endeavor, training to run a half marathon to help raise money for cancer research. She and Gwen teased her that maybe the trainer she was to meet the following week to help her get into shape would be her cub.
    When Kimber finally hung up the phone, her mood had flip-flopped , and she was suddenly sad and nervous about Tate coming home. As her friends had so easily pointed out, what did she really know about him, other than he claimed they were mates and meant to spend the rest of their lives together?
     
    * * * *
     
    Exhausted and driving on automatic after a long shift deliver ing pizzas, Tate was halfway to his old place of residence before he realized it.
    “Wake up, buddy , or you’ll be embarrassing yourself,” h e muttered as he used a gas station driveway to turn around.
    When he reached his new home, he sighed as he parked. Climbing from the truck, he took a few minutes to stretch out the kinks before heading to the house. A light glowing in the living room window brought a smile to his lips as he climbed to the front porch. His mate had thought of him and left a welcoming light.
    Glancing at his watch, he sighed. He had to be up in less than five hours to get to his weekend job helping a friend who was adding a room onto his house. Tate sighed, half - tempted to call and cancel, but knew he wouldn’t. The pay was too good to pass up even a single day of work. Another couple of