Snowy With A Chance 0f Mating (Move Over Fate Book 3)

by Michelle Ziegler

  Caleb didn't know what to say. His breath shuddered as a gunshot of pain hit him square in the chest. He looked up before he focused on that too much.

  Marci walked up just as he began to stand.

  "Okay. I think this is it. Ready?"

  He nodded out of fear that his voice would giveaway a fuckload more about him than he was ready to reveal about himself. Hell, he'd been trying to push Marci away, not let her in.

  They walked a few moments in silence before a small voice perked up.

  "I knew I'd end up in your arms one of these days."

  "What?" Marci asked.

  Caleb looked down, and Evelyn's eyes were bright and open.

  "Oh, good. You're here too then. I guess the plan worked."

  He sighed and momentarily bit back the questions circling his head. Of course, she had some plan, but he doubted it involved her getting hurt.

  "Ms. Emerson. What in the hell were you doing out here? Wait, first. Do you remember what day it is?"

  She tried to laugh and winced. "Oh dear. That's not good."

  "What's not good?" He tried to keep his eyes on the path. The snow coming down faster with each minute.

  "My head, dear. That's going to leave a bruise."

  As she pulled her hand away, little to no new blood appeared. He was glad to see it slow.

  "You scared us. What happened?"

  She smiled up at him as she gently folded her hands over her stomach.

  "Well. It's the same as I always do. I check the perimeter of the forest the first of the month. The darn pixies are so much trouble, but today I'm not sure what got into them. One of them threw something at me, and I slipped. I think. Or was it something else. I honestly don't remember. I just felt something cold and then the pain in my head. Then I must have passed out."

  Marci moved closer to Evelyn who shivered.

  "I think you might be in shock. Here." Marci pulled off her coat and handed it to Evelyn.

  "Oh no, dear. Please keep this. I'll be fine. "

  Marci shook her head. Her shoulder brushed against him as they walked, and he became more aware of her proximity. The further they walked from the pixie forest the less magic clouded the air, and he was able to inhale.

  Everything within him calmed like she were a tranquilizer to his panic-ridden soul. For the first time in years, he noticed the emptiness within him. The numbing buzz he'd become used to, led way to new pain. His bear reared up and sniffed towards Marci. He wanted her, and Caleb - Caleb needed her. Whatever her scent did to him woke a hunger within him.

  He clenched his molars. He'd figure out that new shitpile of emotion once they got back into town.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Marci shivered. He had nothing to give her, except himself. He tried to get closer to her without her noticing and without hitting her with Evelyn's feet.

  "Caleb dear? Put me down. I think I can walk now.

  A brow lifted as he glared. "No. I don't think so."

  She smiled. She raised her hand, and Caleb winced, expecting a slap for telling her no. Instead, she patted his cheek. "I will be fine. Put me down and warm that girl."

  He hesitated and then laughed as Evelyn started to wiggle.

  "Alright. But stay close. No wandering off."

  She wrapped Marci's coat tight around her. "I didn't wander off. I am highly capable of maneuvering these woods."

  Marci hadn't said anything for the last few minutes. He remained close to her, the expected heat she'd give off dull. Her scent had changed, chilled like the air.

  "Marci? You okay?"

  The chattering of her teeth suddenly overshadowed the crunching of the underbrush as they walked.

  "I ...th-think ... th-the ...temperature dropped," she said between stutters.

  Caleb didn't have a clue what he was supposed to. There wasn't anything around them that would help her.

  "Hey. Everyone stop. If I shift, I can carry you both back much quicker than this slow pace."

  Marci nodded. Evelyn giggled as he grabbed the waist of his pants and pulled them off.

  He fell behind a few steps as he let his bear out and caught up within a few strides, his pants in his mouth. He nudged Marci first laying down enough for her to climb on him. Her icy fingers nearly froze the skin she grazed while gripping his fur.

  Once he was sure she wouldn't fall off, he nudged Evelyn who seemed to have a much less hard time getting on.

  Interesting.

  Not interesting enough to stop. Marci needed him.

  11

  The chattering of her teeth nearly shook her brain loose. Evelyn sat behind her and tried to wrap the coat around the two of them. It was kind, but the air grew colder and colder; not much seemed to help. She leaned forward and tried to let the heat of Caleb's body warm her.

  Focusing on something other than the shaking in her body, she inhaled him, loving the woodsy scent of his fur. Her fingers struggled to feel anything, but it didn't stop her from running her fingers over his back, gripping the hair the best her stiff hands could. The coarse-softness of his coat comforted her.

  She shuddered as the tingles of pain reached through her skin with the bite of the wind.

  "Marci dear? Talk to me. We should be back to town any minute. You hang on."

  Marci sat as straight as she could while Caleb's muscles flexed and released with each movement. She held on, and Evelyn's arms wrapped around her.

  "S-sure." She could talk. If only her lips would listen. "In the forest C-Caleb c-couldn't get your scent. D-do you know why?"

  "Oh, that. I would have thought Caleb knew by now. I'm part Fae. I don't have the same kind of scent as a human, or so I've been told by a shifter or two. My great-grandfather was, or I suppose is a faerie. He went back years ago."

  Marci blinked away the wind stinging her eyes.

  She shivered again. Distraction. Focus on something. Think of Caleb. He had to be able to warm her up. Good God, had he brought about some new feelings when he'd shifted back into human form. Seeing him in all his glory by the river should be able to warm her in seconds.

  The shaking seemed to have stopped for a moment; now she wished she'd have taken a longer peek at him. Using her imagination, she tried to picture his arms as she ran her hands over the tight skin of his biceps.

  "See now? You seem to be shivering less," Evelyn said.

  The thoughts of Caleb blew away on the wind. Dang, it.

  It took all her effort to continue the conversation. Where were they?

  "So you aren't all human. H-how does that affect your scent?"

  Evelyn gripped her tighter, and Marci tightened her grip on Caleb. He seemed to be going faster, or maybe she just hoped he was.

  "Oh. That. I smell like the forest. Very hard to tell the difference. And honestly, getting that close to the forest was my fault. I always hope my grandfather will come back and care about his human family. After my dear gran died though, he left. Not an overly affectionate people, those Fae. I still stay here though, because it's what my gran would have wanted. So, here I stay."

  The forest darkened as the sun set beneath the trees. In the distance, lights from the town appeared and she tried to smile, only to choke on a gust of icy air.

  "Caleb?" asked Evelyn.

  The bear grunted.

  "Take me home. I'll make sure to call Annie and have her come by. My Ed will take care of me."

  He growled.

  "Don't you dare tell me what to do, young man. Take me home. This girl needs to get warm and fast. Perhaps take her to your place. That old drafty Inn won't warm fast enough, and with her being out here, well, you take care of her."

  Marci wanted to protest, but her lips didn't move. Heat of any kind sounded nice right now. A hot bath maybe. Snuggling up against the warm body of this bear, or the man inside the bear.

  Pressing her cheek to his body, she could hear the rhythm of his heart. Tingles of a foreign heat trailed along her belly pinpointing a deserted part of her. W
hat would it be like to have this man take her home, to ride him in an entirely different way? Air hiccuped in her throat as she giggled against her frozen throat.

  Recalling the image of his dick out by the river, she could only imagine how it would feel, hard and ready as she licked every inch of him. She squeezed her legs tight around him.

  The falter in his step shook her out of her dream and back to the frigid air. Back to her frozen reality and the fact that she wouldn't say no to him if he asked to kiss her again. She wouldn't say no if he wanted her. She forced down a swallow. Marci didn't know if she should hate herself or not.

  "It might be cold, but look at the beauty of that little town," Evelyn's voice was calm and soothing. "Don't you let him send you back to that inn tonight."

  Marci tried to protest. "Ch-chick-"

  Evelyn patted her shoulder from behind. "Never you mind. I'll ring Annie on her way to check on me. We'll take care of your chicken tonight. Let this man take care of you."

  They slowed down as the wind broke around the smattering of houses. Feeling in her face was still subjective. The absence of the bitter bite of cold, welcome.

  Caleb stopped in front of a house as a small, frail-looking man ran out.

  "Evelyn, my love."

  She chuckled and slipped off of Caleb. "He's a bit of a nervous old-man." She smiled up at Marci and waved as the man wrapped her up in his arms.

  Caleb's head bayed left before they took off back towards the direction of the Inn.

  She didn't want to go back there. She didn't want to go back to not sleeping. She needed just one good night's rest. What she wanted was for someone to be waiting there for her, like Ed waited for Evelyn.

  Evelyn's absence left her feeling exposed. Wrapping her coat tight she crouched close to Caleb's neck.

  She laid her cheek against his fur and closed her eyes.

  His lumbering came to a stop, and she opened her eyes. Caleb lowered himself so Marci could lower herself to the ground. The ice in her legs protested the movement, but she did it.

  The bear walked to the and pawed at the knob. Marci reached for it and pushed it open.

  Should she go in?

  "Are you going to shif-"

  "You okay?" he asked.

  Marci turned to see the shape of him in the dark alley; only a bit of light from a nearby porch illuminating his naked body. So, so many muscles.

  "I. Yes. Well maybe. My face hurts, and the heat from your hallway is singeing my skin off, but at least it's warm."

  "Sure. Right. Let's go in then. My apartment is upstairs over the store; sadly I never bothered to replace the light bulb in the hall here. I can see, but you might struggle for a minute. Watch out for the stairs."

  "Alright then. Lead the way - I need to get my boots off first though," she said.

  Her feet hurt as she used the toe of one boot to get off the other.

  "Here. Take my hand. So you don't trip."

  His fingers grazed hers, and she jumped.

  "Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you," Caleb said.

  She let him wrap his warm hand around hers. The heat of his skin made her whole body heat in response.

  Everything ached as she thawed. A tingle of magic wrapped around her hand and spiraled along her arm.

  Her heart screamed that she'd found what she'd been looking for, but her brain yelled back that it was just some spell. Her magic couldn't lie though. It wouldn't lie to her. She could find anything; she'd proven it.

  The darkness of the hall lessened as they climbed the stairs and light filtered through the doorway.

  "You sure you're okay?"

  She didn't know. Was she? The softness to his voice warmed her soul as he continued to lead her.

  She liked the way her hand fit within his and the way he'd held Evelyn like a fragile child. Maybe she'd wanted to be angry at him and hate him because falling for him was too ridiculous, but any man that risked everything for a small, frail woman couldn't be bad.

  "Caleb?"

  He paused at the top of the stairs, moonlight seeping into the apartment.

  "Yes?"

  She reached the top stair and stood next to him. How could she ask why he'd kissed her that first day? She knew why she had. She hadn't been able to say no. She wouldn't be able to say no now - if she'd thought he'd wanted her.

  How could she ask how he was able to turn it off? The attraction, the soul-deep yearning that said he was why she'd come. Spell or no spell, her magic couldn't and wouldn't lie. He was what she needed to find, even if it might not have been what she'd thought she was looking for.

  "Why did you - or well, why haven't you tried to kiss me since ..." she didn't know how to finish.

  He took a step closer, and she breathed in. The scent of him would never get old. One breath, two. He wasn't going to answer.

  His voice low, he finally spoke: "Let me ask you what was going through your mind out in the forest?"

  "When? I was cold. So not much."

  He bent down and whispered the words. "No. When you squeezed your thighs around my back?"

  "Ohh," she said.

  He didn't move.

  "Tell me. Do you still think you're here because of some spell?"

  She'd thought long and hard about this, and no. She really didn't.

  "I don't think so."

  Without thought, she raised her other hand to his chest. The bare skin smooth, hot, hard. His chest solid. "No. My magic wouldn't lie to me. I'm meant to be here."

  Before she could say anything else, his mouth was on hers, as he backed her against the door jamb. Her lips ached as he took control. More, she needed more. Standing on tiptoe she leaned into him. He pressed their joined hands over her shoulder against the wall while his free arm slid around her waist, pulling her into his body.

  Her eyes widened as his hard shaft pressed against her.

  Heat coursed through her, and a tingle between her legs had her pressing in closer. She moaned against her muscles clenching.

  She pulled her hand from his and slid it down between them. Nothing stood between her and what she wanted.

  She gripped his massive shaft in her hand and started stroking him, his skin smooth and hot to the touch. Good Lord, she'd never wanted someone as much as she did right now.

  His breath shuddered against her lips as he broke the kiss.

  "You don't know what you are playing at."

  She chuckled. "Oh, I believe I do. I'm pretty sure I know what this is for."

  She gripped him a bit tighter, and a breath hissed out on his next words.

  "I meant -" he cut off.

  "I know what you meant."

  He quickly claimed her mouth again, his kisses deepened, his tongue dancing with hers.

  She squealed as his hands gripped her ass and lifted her. Her hand came away from his dick, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. As he walked, the crotch of her pants rubbed against his hard-on. Her breathing deepened with each step. The need and the want mixed. Her body heated in desperate desire while her heart beat with each kiss, each matched breath.

  He stopped walking and pulled his face away.

  "No!" she yelled.

  This time it was his turn to chuckle.

  "Marci, I want you. You have no idea how bad."

  She gulped down air. "Yes I do, and it's pressing against me right now. Why did you stop."

  His eyes narrowed. "You truly want this? Want me? There is no going back once you're in my bed." The tip of his nose feathered her cheek as his soft kisses trailed her jaw line down to her neck. "You will be mine."

  "Good Lord, yes. You have my permission."

  His hot breath tickled her collarbone.

  "Yes," she said one more time for good measure.

  He didn't get a chance for any more words as she nearly climbed him, grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him senseless.

  The next minute he dropped her against a soft mattress as he crawled over her.

  Kis
sing her one more time he pulled away, lifting the bottom of her shirt. He kissed her belly and goosebumps formed across her skin, but this time there was no cold. His hands felt their way to her waistband, she pushed her hips towards him.

  Marci couldn't stifle the moan at the graze of his fingers as he freed the button of her jeans. He yanked at her pants as she lifted her ass for him. In one quick motion, she was naked. Her heartbeat pulsed as his hands slid up her calves, moving up along her legs to her inner thighs. The muscles between her legs tightened in anticipation and need.

  He teased her, his hands grazing the crease of her thighs up to her stomach. She groaned.

  "Please, Caleb."

  She calmed a bit when he kissed her body, the body that she'd never thought was perfect enough, yet here right now she felt sexy.

  She raised her hips, begging for attention. The rumble of his chest told her he was laughing.

  "Don't you laugh at me, you ass." She tried to wiggle away.

  "You aren't going anywhere, Marci. I told you, you are mine."

  "Then why are you ..."

  His lips closed around her nipple, his teeth grazing the sensitive nub.

  She arched her back and bit down on her lower lip.

  What was I mad about?

  His fingers kneaded her other breast, pinching the taut bud. So many sensations. He pulled away, and she nearly cried out.

  "You are amazing, Marci. Absolutely perfect."

  He was blind right now, and she didn't care.

  "I'm not perfect."

  He kissed the words away. Marci's body shivered at the soft touch down her side, to her hip, to her thigh.

  Yes.

  His fingers played at her inner thigh, a feather touch making her squirm in need. Her eyes closed and she tried to move her hips closer to his hand.

  Desire coiled tighter and tighter, the cold of the forest gone. She ached for him. A growl of desperation sat in her throat as his lips worked her mouth.

  The salty-sweet of his kiss and the burning thrum of her core was almost too much.

  His index finger slowly traced her heat, slowly parting the lips and sliding along the moisture of her entrance. His fingers circling, only to leave her breathless. Her cry caught as he moved away and began to rub at her sensitive clit. She nearly jumped at the sensation. God, she was ready.