“It’s lovely to meet you too,” Helen said.
“Let us deal with this, m’lady,” Dick said. “You must be tired after your long trip.”
Pepper stepped away, feeling like an errant child. Connall laid his hand on her back.
Helen pulled celery from one of the bags and opened the fridge. “We’ll just put the groceries away and get out of your hair.”
“Why don’t you leave them, Helen,” Connall suggested. “We’ll put everything away.”
Dick looked taken aback. “No, we—”
Helen grabbed her husband’s hand, cutting off his argument. She smiled gently at Pepper and then addressed Connall. “Thank you, sir. We’d certainly appreciate the help.” She dragged her husband from the room and closed the door behind them.
“They looked at me like I was an alien,” Pepper said as she opened cabinets and tried to find where the various items went. It wasn’t difficult. Everything had a specific place and she was quite impressed with the organization.
“No, they were just surprised I offered to help. Helen doesn’t typically let me in the kitchen unless it’s to eat.”
“I can see why Helen doesn’t let you in the kitchen,” Pepper said as he set soup mix on the top shelf of the refrigerator.
“Eh?”
“That doesn’t get refrigerated.”
“Oh. Sorry.”
She smiled. “Just sit there and look pretty, I’ll take care of this.”
He sat on one of the tall barstools while Pepper finished putting the groceries away. When she was finished, he held his hand out to her.
Connall pulled her between his legs, and she looped her arms around his neck. “I don’t know if I can do this, Con. It’s not me.”
“Outside of the bonding and your recovery, if you feel like you can’t be here, we can stay in the guest house as long as you need to.”
She cocked her head. “Really?”
“Really. Although, I’d love it if you’d give this place a chance, because I don’t want to have to move that bed upstairs.”
“What’s wrong with the bed at the other house?”
“Way too small.”
She leaned against him again. “I’ll give this place a chance.”
“Thank you,” he said. “Maybe we should wait until you feel a bit more comfortable here before I bind you.”
“Nice try.” She pulled away from him and slid her phone from her pocket. “I’m calling Sam now.”
“I’ll make you lunch.”
“You’ll make me lunch?”
He opened the refrigerator. “I make a mean cucumber sandwich, if you must know.”
Pepper smiled. “Sounds yummy. Thank you.”
While Connall went about fixing lunch, Pepper called Sam. The call went to voicemail, so she left a message and took a seat at the enormous island just as Connall’s phone rang.
He wiped his hands on a towel and answered the call. “Hi, Kade. No, we’re at the house. I’m making lunch. Yeah, that sounds good. Ride on over. Come through the back. ’Bye.”
“Ride over?” Pepper asked.
“They wanted to know if we wanted to go for a ride with them.”
“And you said yes, as you should.”
Connall grinned and went back to the sandwiches. “Of course. Ahearn’s tacking up two horses for us.”
Pepper sagged on the barstool. “Right. Because Jonesy’s in quarantine.”
“Not for long, love,” Connall promised. “And you’ll like Viking. He’s a beauty.”
“Viking?”
Connall handed her a sandwich. “One of my Friesians.”
“Oooh, pretty! I’ve never ridden one of those.”
“I can’t wait to hear your opinion.”
“Yoo-hoo,” Sam called from the back of the house.
“In here,” Connall said, and slipped out the door briefly, returning with Sam and Kade.
“Hi, Pepper.” Kade kissed her cheek and then went straight for the fridge, pulling out four beers and opening them.
“Hi,” Pepper said.
Sam wore khaki jodhpurs, tall black boots, and a white down vest over a black sweater. Her hair was swept away from her face and pulled into a bun at the base of her neck.
“You look ready for a show,” Pepper said as she hugged Sam.
Sam chuckled. “Well, my husband won’t let me jump on a horse without the proper safety gear. This vest is bullet proof.”
“It’s not? Is it?”
“Sort of. It has the stuff in it that bull riders wear. To protect the chest.” Sam sat on the stool next to Pepper and reached for a sandwich. “I’m starving.”
Pepper handed her a napkin. “Con’s got cucumber sandwiches down to an art form.”
Sam took a bite and hummed in appreciation. “Yum.”
As Kade and Connall talked about where they would explore with the horses, Pepper used their distraction to conspire with Sam. “I want Con to bind me tonight, but he’s trying to delay it.”
Sam wiped her mouth and sighed. “He’s not happy about the pain part of the process.”
“He said you’d need to be there.”
“It would be a good idea,” Sam said. “I’ll talk to him. Tonight’s actually good for me. Kade’s got a business call and I’d be roaming until he was done. None of the rest of the family will be here until tomorrow, and since you aren’t staying at the house with me, I won’t have anyone for distraction.”
“You have to convince Connall, then. Honestly, I just want this over and done with.”
“Ahh, romance,” Sam retorted. “So lost on you.”
Pepper rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks.”
“Do you have the stuff we bought before we left?”
Pepper blushed. “My cheap excuse for a wedding trousseau? Yes.”
Sam giggled. “I give you six months before you’re demanding La Perla.”
“I don’t even know what that is.”
“You will,” Sam promised.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
PEPPER STOOD IN what would be “her” bathroom in the big house, staring at herself in the mirror. She wore the periwinkle-blue baby-doll underwear she had picked out when shopping with Sam. The lingerie fit everywhere except the bust. Pepper wasn’t overly concerned, considering this was her mating night and a potential wardrobe malfunction wouldn’t be seen as a hindrance, but she had to admit, she was still nervous.
Sam had convinced Connall that she’d make sure Pepper was safe during the conversion and Pepper had reminded him that it was going to happen sooner or later. Wouldn’t it be better to start their lives together sooner?
Pepper adjusted the top. Mating night. What a strange phrase.
She heard Connall’s chuckle.
Well, it is.
Think of it as your wedding night instead.
Yeah, that doesn’t really help.
All on your time, love. We can wait.
I don’t want to wait. I’m simply making an observation.
Fair enough.
She smiled. Besides. I’m looking forward to blowing—
Promises, promises!
Dr. Gunnach, let me finish.
He chuckled again. I will gladly let you finish…in here.
You’re beyond redeemable, my love. But I promise I’ll still blow your mind. She grinned as she ran her light pink lip gloss over her lower lip and pressed her lips together. I hope you like cotton candy.
What’s cotton candy?
You know the stuff you get at a fair? Sugar spun into web-like confectionary?
Ahh, we call it candy floss. I do like it. Why?
You’ll find out.
Tonight?
Pepper giggled. Keep your pants on.
The goal is to take them off, love.
She studied herself in the mirror again. Satisfied with what she saw, she took a deep breath. Ready?
The bathroom door opened and Connall stepped inside, letting out a quiet whistle. “You are exquisite.”
Pepper settled her hands on her hips and frowned. “You were supposed to close your eyes so I could do a grand reveal.”
“You have revealed that you’re grand.” He grinned and Pepper’s breath caught as she studied him. He wore black flannel pj bottoms that hung from his hips and a black wife-beater that seriously hid nothing, and made her wonder why such a sexy article of clothing was given such a nasty name. She could still see the outline of his chiseled-in-granite chest and knew that when she touched him, his six-pack would feel more like twelve.
She licked her lips and met his eyes. “You are gorgeous.”
He shook his head as he closed the distance between them. “Not even close to you, sweetheart. That color on you does things to me.”
Connall slid his hands over her hips and Pepper shivered.
“Cold?”
“No.” She bit her lip. “Horny.”
He laughed and cupped her face. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She grinned and slipped her hands under his shirt, confirming the tightness of his stomach. “Can we stop talking now?”
He leaned down to kiss her and without breaking the kiss, lifted her so that she could wrap her legs around his waist.
“What is on your lips?” he asked. “It’s delicious.”
Pepper giggled and ran her hands through his hair. “Cotton-candy-flavored lip gloss.”
He kissed her again. “I think wearing that needs to be part of your daily routine.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Connall carried her into the bedroom, set her on her feet, and kissed her again. He broke the kiss and set about pouring champagne. Pepper wrinkled her nose.
“You don’t want champagne?” he asked.
“Later. Right now, I want to get naked.”
He chuckled and handed her a glass. “So impatient.”
“Yes. I am.” She set the glass down and reached for his. “Why aren’t you a little more eager?”
He shook his head. “I am eager.”
She took his glass from his hand and set it next to hers. “Con?” When he didn’t answer immediately, she reached for his hand and linked her fingers with his. “Hey. I’m going to be okay.”
He nodded. “I know.”
“Do you?”
“Aye,” he said. “I do. I just want to spare you the pain.”
“I appreciate that. But you can’t and I’m okay with that.”
“I could bind you but use protection,” he suggested.
“And how would that shelter me from the pain?”
“You wouldn’t go through the change.”
“But then we wouldn’t be truly bound, right?”
“It would be similar to a wedding ceremony. We’d be married, but physically unconsummated.”
“Which just postpones the pain.” Pepper pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms. “Don’t you want me to go through the change?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I do.”
“I’m ridiculous?” She smacked his chest with her palm. “Really?”
“Pepper.”
“It’s fine, Con. We can wait.” She raised her hands in surrender. “Or not do it at all. Either way.” She stalked into the bathroom and slammed the door.
* * *
Connall shook his head. He was mucking everything up and he couldn’t explain to her why he was pushing the one person he loved more than life away. The thought of her in pain undid him. He couldn’t bring himself to watch her go through it.
He didn’t have long to dwell on his thoughts.
Pepper returned, slamming the door again on her way back in. She jabbed a finger at him and took a deep breath. “You do not get to do this. You don’t get to stand there and freak out because you have to watch me in pain. I’m the one that will be feeling it! I love you. You’ve given me everything! It’s my turn to reciprocate. I think it’s a fair trade.”
He rushed her. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her with a desperation he’d never felt before. She was the best part of him. He would give her anything.
“I’m sorry,” he said and kissed her again. “I love you so much.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Forgiven. I love you too. Even if you’re more of a woman than me.”
He laughed. “You’re going to kill me.”
“I will if you don’t get on with the binding.”
“So romantic, sweetheart.”
She smiled. “I just talked you down off the ledge. I’m distracting you so you don’t climb back up.”
He kissed her again. “Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið.”
She sighed. “That’s what I’m supposed to say, huh?”
He nodded. “I’m going to say it again. You’re going to repeat it and then we’ll say it together. Ready?”
“More than ready.”
“Ég gef þér allt ég, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég er að verða,” he whispered.
“Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið,” Pepper said, stumbling over the words. He helped her by thinking the words again for her.
As she finished the last word, he felt her falter. She giggled and gripped his shoulders. “That’s a little different.”
“Yes, it is,” he agreed, wrapping his arms tighter around her waist.
“Sam said I’d feel a little faint…I thought she was teasing.”
He smiled. “Ready?”
She nodded.
“Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta.”
“Ég er þín að eilífu Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta,” Pepper repeated. “I think we should sit down for the rest.”
“One more line to repeat, love, and then I’ll take you to bed.” He stroked her cheek. “Ást mín er alger.”
“Ást mín er alger.” She raised an eyebrow. “Is that it?”
He shook his head. “We have to say it together, but I think we should do that in bed.”
He lifted her and carried her to the mattress. He laid her down and stretched out beside her. She pulled at his shirt with a groan. “I want this off.”
He chuckled and pulled it over his head and nodded toward her top. “Ditto.”
She grinned and handed him the ribbon holding her lingerie closed. “Have at it, baby.”
He held the tie and gave her an evil grin. “Together,” he instructed.
She nodded.
“Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið. Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta. Ást mín er alger.”
As they said the last word, Connall tugged the ribbon, unwrapping the best gift he’d ever been given. “You are magnificent.”
“So are you.” Pepper stroked his cheek. “I give you everything I am, all I want to be, and all I can be. I’m yours forever. Our bond will never be broken. My love is absolute.”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Make love to me.”
Connall hesitated, the fear of her imminent pain fighting against his desire to love the half-naked woman in his arms.
“Con,” Pepper admonished.
He took a deep breath and forced a smile. “I’m working it out, love.”
Pepper slipped her hand under the waistband of his pj’s. “Work it out faster.”
His resolve crumbled, earning a triumphant chuckle from Pepper. He tried to take it slow, but once he had her under him, he was lost.
* * *
When she thought she would die on the spot, Pepper fell over Connall’s body and tried to catch her breath. “Wow.”
Connall pulled the top sheet over them. “I’m sorry that was quick, love.”
She giggled. “Did I give the impression I was complaining?”
He shook his head. “I had i
ntended on blowing—”
“You did.” She laid her hand over his mouth, cutting off the rest of his sentence. “Man, you need constant reassurance, don’t you?”
He nibbled her fingers. “I promise it will get better.”
She frowned. “Are you being serious right now?”
He grinned. “No?”
“Good answer.” She sat up.
He slipped an arm behind his head and watched her. “What are you doing?”
She studied her hip. “I’m looking for the mark.”
Connall had a birthmark located between his belly button and right hip, shaped a bit like Tennessee. Sam had told her the first physical sign the change was coming would be the appearance of the same birthmark on her body, but on her left hip. The mirror image of his.
“Let’s not rush it,” he said.
She smiled and stretched out beside him. “What are you going to be like when we have kids?”
He pulled her close and ran his fingers over her side. “You’ll have a lot of drugs.”
Pepper shook her head. “No way, buddy. I want all natural.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“Damn.”
She giggled, but stalled when something that felt like a hot poker stabbed at her stomach. She was so unprepared for the sudden pain, she let out a frightened whimper and then quickly berated herself. So much for her plan to keep the pain from him.
“Pepper?”
She squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m fine.”
Connall sat up and gently rolled her onto her back. “The mark.”
She glanced down at her body. She had the identical mark to his, and it was brown. “Wow. That was fast.”
He climbed off the bed and pulled on his pj pants and shirt. “It’s not red. We have some time.”
Another stab shot through her belly and she bit her lip to keep from groaning.
Pepper, he admonished. If you need to scream, scream.
I’m okay.
“I’m okay,” she said again, this time out loud. She gripped her stomach and rolled into a fetal position. Connall grabbed his phone and Pepper heard his voice, but the pain was so severe, she couldn’t comprehend the words. She managed to stay quiet until the pain in her legs began. As the pain shot into her calves, she whimpered.
Connall rushed to her side and laid his hand on her forehead. “You’re burning up, love. Time to get you in the tub.”
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