by C. D. Gorri
He knew it would be a while before she would settle down enough to want cubs, but a man could dream. Besides, he respected her hard work and dedication to her career and had every intention of supporting her choices.
Another thud from up the stairs and he could hardly keep his eyes off the ceiling. Was she putting on her shoes? Stepping into the tennis sneakers she preferred while working perhaps? Her tiny feet were absolutely adorable. Hmm. He’d neglected those toes. Maybe later he could give them the attention they deserved.
Of course he’d have to distribute that attention to other areas of her delectable body as well. For example, not many people looked beyond the obvious assets of a woman, but he was beginning to discover an unusual fondness for that tiny dimple to the left of her mouth.
Not to mention the tiny indent between her neck and shoulder. He sure enjoyed kissing her along there. Especially the way she moaned and clung to him when he was doing just that.
There was also the prettiest little freckle on her right hip. He’d seen it earlier when he was feasting on other things, but he had every intention of circling back to it before Daniel and his untimely interruption.
It seemed his childhood dream of having brothers and Clanmates who valued him was not all it was cracked up to be. The cock-blocking assholes had done it again! He growled in frustration. Another soft thud reached his sensitive ears and he could practically see her bent over tying those sneakers in his mind. Grrr.
Nate was hardly aware that he had moved several steps closer to the staircase, closer to her, before Daniel called him back.
“Bro, you listening or what?”
“Yeah, I’m listening.” He was listening. Just not to Daniel.
Besides, he knew the drill already and he didn’t fucking like it any better now than he had last night. They’d discussed the matter until he was blue in the face, but he’d been outvoted. By Luisa herself. His damn courageous mate had volunteered to be bait! He growled and rubbed a hand across his face.
Luisa had fallen asleep in the living room after Krissy had finally convinced her to let him clean out her wound. Having an injured mate was almost too much for his Bear to handle. After he’d cleaned the already healing scratch, he’d picked her up and carried her to her bedroom.
He’d noted with a fond smile that his little mate slept in her childhood room as opposed to moving into her mother’s old one. The old house was small, but comfortable. Paid off by Krissy’s hard work as he understood it. He’d befriended the oldest Sposa sibling almost immediately. She was a sweet woman, especially now that she was married to his brother Taylor.
She’d done right by his mate and for that he would be eternally grateful. Yes. It was a fine house. A little too close to other people to truly suit his tastes, but it was a house filled with love.
He still harbored a secret hope that she’d like his cabin as their permanent residence, but if she insisted, he would live here with her. Hell, he’d live anywhere just to be with her. Damn. He might as well cut off his balls and hand them to her. He chuckled and shook his head. Fuck it. She was his mate and he’d do anything to make her happy.
Though, he had to admit he’d prefer to live on the lake. The woods surrounding it were peaceful and he could Shift into his Bear any time he wanted to or just go out on the porch with his sketchpad to work without anyone bugging him.
He was almost finished putting together the little emergency medical room and office he’d built for her. Of course, she didn’t know about it yet. How was he supposed to tell her when he couldn’t get within five feet of her without wanting to strip her down and bury himself inside of her?
The mating urge was strong enough before he’d claimed the luscious she-Bear. Now that he’d had a taste of her, his beast was insatiable. She was all he thought about. First thing on his mind when he woke up, last thing on it when he went to bed.
“It’s normal, you know,” Daniel said as the four Polar Bears argued over who was taking which shift.
“What’s that?” Nate feigned ignorance.
“The wanting. I wanted Lacey like mad when I first met her. After I touched her, fuck, it was a million times worse,” Daniel looked at Nate with a big goofy grin on his face as he spoke of his mate, “Even after Mia, I still want her like crazy. All the time, bro. She’s everything to me. They both are.”
“So, how do you handle it? How do you keep from scaring her?” Nate really wanted to know. Luisa was skittish before they’d become intimate and he was doing his best to keep to her terms, but his Bear was getting restless. He wanted his mate.
“Fuck if I know,” Daniel grinned, “Lacey says she wants me just as much. Guess I’m lucky that way. Now come on, we have a plan for keeping your mate guarded at all times during the day. Then when she gets home, and yes, she will have to drive herself. Don’t worry, bro, we will intercept the Hunter Vamps,” he said. Nate listened. Luisa’s safety was of the utmost importance to him.
But something else was bothering him. What if Luisa didn’t want him the way he wanted her? Was that why she’d been so reluctant to announce their mating and make it real? Fuck. After living his whole life on the fringes of a Clan who barely wanted him around, he’d finally found a place where he thought he belonged. But could he live with himself if he was unwanted again?
“Hey, you alright?”
He turned around at the sound of that familiar voice and his insides clenched. She was so beautiful. In a pair of light gray capris and a short-sleeved blouse with yellow flowers on it, she looked good enough to eat. Again. Yes please.
The concern in her dark brown eyes brought him up short. Maybe she cared more than he thought? He gave her a small smile and nodded at her. Best to play it cool. His passion that morning might have backed them up a few steps, and he didn’t want to make it worse.
“You ready to go to work, honey?”
“Um, yeah. Let me grab my bag.”
Nate watched her as she walked away. Her cute little heart-shaped ass was so damn sweet it could bring him to his knees. Especially when it was snug in those tight capris and wiggling this way and that as she walked away. Damn. He was hard again. He untucked his t-shirt and hoped it hid his sudden and yet semi-permanent condition when he was around his mate. Grrr.
“Yo, boss? Want me to drive the doc to work?” Locke’s eyes seemed to also follow Luisa as she picked up her medical bag and the small wristlet that held her wallet and phone.
“Fuck off,” Nate growled at the Polar Bear.
The man raised his hands in surrender, averted his eyes, and backed up to the kitchen, but not before letting a low whistle slide from his lips. Nate’s fist shot out and caught the stupid Shifter in the jaw as he was about to inch out of the room. Before the huge man could react, Daniel was there pushing the male back.
“Give him a break, fellas, and don’t ever disrespect a man’s mate like that again,” Daniel said through gritted teeth.
He ordered Bowie and Tonic to Shift and take to the woods. Warning them to stay downwind when they got to the clinic. They’d have to use extreme caution as Polar Bears were not exactly New Jersey natives. Nate rolled his eyes. With their luck the idiots would be seen by a group of hunters and they’d have everyone from Fish & Wildlife on their asses.
“I’m ready,” Luisa said, and reentered the room oblivious to the tension. Nate nodded and opened the front door for her. At least he’d have a few minutes alone with her.
“I’m coming too,” Daniel announced, and Nate sighed. Or not, he thought. Thwarted again.
The day dragged on or so it seemed to Nate. He’d been outed from the clinic by Luisa herself and that grated on his nerves.
“I can’t work on patients with you breathing down my neck, Nate, go get a coffee or something,” she’d growled the order at him when he objected to her examining a young unmated Bear’s naked torso after he’d sustained an injury horsing around with his brothers.
It was nothing serious and Nate wondered why the yo
ung male had even bothered showing up. Then he saw the Bear’s eyes sparkle as he watched Luisa bend over to retrieve some medical supplies from a low drawer. That’s it. He was gonna burn those damned pants of hers later.
The little fucker! Nate couldn’t help it. He felt his Bear rise to the surface and he snarled at the barely adult male. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he almost leapt over the table to throttle the little shit when he gulped but still looked back at her again. Grrr. Not that he blamed the kid. She was fine as fuck.
“What is going on?” Luisa cried out as she turned around to see him towering over the now trembling youth.
“He’s only here so he can ogle you,” Nate growled and looked out of the door to the line of patients outside in the waiting room.
Most of them were Clanmates. Almost all of them were young unmated males. Fucking hell. His Bear bellowed in his mind’s eye. Grrr.
“Nate! Control yourself or you have to leave,” she began, but he was too riled up to settle. He turned away, refusing to meet her angry eyes. Not trusting himself.
Mine, his Bear roared. The animal inside him was furious that his mate, his mate who refused to acknowledge their mating, was on some level choosing to be with these men over him! His beast saw these men as competition. The fact that their mating was only half-sealed was also driving the animal to want to challenge everyone who even looked at her.
“Are you crazy? These are patients, Nate! Besides I chose you, didn’t I?” She whispered vehemently.
“Did you Luisa? Cause far as I can tell we’re still livin’ apart!” He slammed his hand against the wall and turned around. Fuck. He needed to get a grip. His skin was itching, fingertips tingling, jaw aching. The Bear wanted out. Now.
“Nate?”
He squeezed his eyes tightly. Embarrassment heated his cheeks. He hadn’t lost his cool like this in years. When he was a teenager, he’d been unable to control his Shift. He’d needed his mother’s help.
She’d been firm with her cub, but gentle as always. God, he missed his mother, but he was grateful for all she did. Still, he’d had no father around when growing up to teach him about control. Shit. That was another thing he had in common with Luisa. They’d both had lousy role models.
Iggy Devlin might be easier to get along with these days, but they’d been strangers for a long time. Nate had decided upon meeting the old man that he was going to forgive him for leaving his mother as it was an impossible situation.
His Grizzly Black Bear had seemed to settle a bit in Barvale. Lake Ursa was a prime spot for him to Shift almost daily without notice by normals or challenges by other Bears seeking to prove their dominance.
In fact, the Barvale Clan was unusual for a Shifter group. Marcus had claimed the seat of Alpha when his father gave it up, without quarrel or fight. He was strong, there was no doubt, and he had a good head on his shoulders, but the fact that he ruled without question was simply astonishing.
He was an Alpha whose devotion to his Clan showed in all the little ways he tried to make life better for everyone around him. Nate included. And yet, here he was, making an ass out of himself. He counted to ten, like his mama had told him, and fought back the Bear inside him.
Shit. He hadn’t had an episode like this in years! And now here he was, acting like a cub again, in front of the woman that he loved! Great way to win her over, asshat. The Bear growled and pushed. Nate groaned with the effort it took to wrestle the animal back down. Fuckin’ shit!
“Nate,” he felt pressure on his bicep and realized she was touching him. That had to mean she wasn’t as mad as he expected, right?
He opened his eyes and looked into her sinfully dark, chocolate brown eyes. The anger he expected wasn’t there. In fact, she looked more concerned than upset.
“Excuse us for a second, Tim,” she said to the young Bear who was avoiding eye contact with Nate at all costs. “Come in here. Please, Nate?”
Nate allowed her to pull him into what looked like a private bathroom away from all the prying eyes and supernaturally enhanced ears. She turned on the light, switched the overhead fan on, and locked the door.
“Luisa,” he began. The need to grovel and fall to his knees begging for forgiveness was almost overpowering.
“Nate, I need to apologize to you-”
“No, honey, I’m the one who just acted like a complete idiot in there,” he said wanting desperately to make that sad look in her eyes go away.
“Please let me finish,” she tucked a stray curl behind her ear, and he followed the movement before settling his gaze back on her pretty little face.
“The truth is, I’ve been scared.”
“Of me?” His brows furrowed.
“No. Well, yeah, actually,” she looked down at her feet, but this was too important for misunderstandings. Nate used two fingers to gently lift her face to his.
“Honey talk to me,” he whispered.
“I, I didn’t want to find my mate so soon,” her admission caused him to tense.
Pain lanced through his chest as if she’d struck him. Hell, he wished she would. Anything would be better than having his mate tell him she didn’t want him.
“When I met you at the bonfire for Marcus and Leya, I felt this little zing that went straight through my body. I knew you were my fated mate even then. And I was scared to death.”
“Honey, if I did or said anything to scare you, I am so sorry,” he apologized.
“No, it’s not that. You’re wonderful, Nate. Every woman’s dream. You’re gorgeous, smart, talented, and you’ve done nothing but shower me with attention and patience.”
“Then why all this? I’m sorry I snarled at the little guy in there and I’ll apologize, Luisa, but please don’t end this. Don’t give up on us,” the words rushed out of him as he tried to imagine a world without her.
He couldn’t survive it. No way. He needed his mate. She was his reason for being. If she wanted more time, he’d give it to her. Anything. Just don’t leave me.
He held his breath, waiting for her to speak, to show him just a hint of what she was feeling, but she remained silent. Her huge eyes grew luminous with unshed tears and he wanted to kick his own ass. He’d made her cry! Fuckin’ asshat!
“Nate, I love you so much,” she said and not half a second later, Nate had himself two arms full of his sexy as hell little she-Bear.
“I love you too, honey mine, my own Luisa,” he said between kisses and gropes.
Hope blossomed along with something else and Nate couldn’t stop grinning even as he struggled to hold onto her as she pulled down first her pants than his own in the tight, little space.
Hot damn! His prim little doctor mate had jumped him in the bathroom at the clinic with a waiting room full of patients!
Chapter 11
Luisa returned to the examination room to find it empty. She looked at her watch, cheeks burning. She’d been in the bathroom for twenty-three minutes.
Her clothes were hopelessly wrinkled, but the white coat she wore over them hid most of the damage. She licked her lips tasting the autumn sage flavor that imbued her mate’s kiss. Delicious.
Her Bear was glowing within her and she knew the animal was practically preening in her satisfaction. Never an extrovert, Luisa had practically attacked Nate in the bathroom. Okay. She did attack him.
It was crazy. All the reasons she’d given herself for keeping him at bay had fled her mind the second he started talking as if she was leaving him. Fear had made her stand still as he’d talked on about her giving up on them and she just couldn’t take it anymore.
She had to show him. And boy, did she ever. Making love while standing up in the close confines of the clean, but small doctors’ bathroom at the clinic had been exhilarating. Though a little painful. And she didn’t mean from the matching bite marks they’d given each other during the height of their passion.
She rubbed her hand over the symbol of his claim. This one sat high on her neck behind her left ear. Shifter he
aling abilities meant it was little more than a scab at the moment, by tomorrow it would be a slightly raised scar. A testament to her status as a mated female and a sign of Nate’s love for her.
Her Bear grumbled happily inside her as she called the next patient into the room. A glance at the back door told her Nate had swapped places with one of the Polar Bear triplets. He’d needed to stretch his legs, or so he said.
“All I want to do is take you to bed,” he whispered with his slight Texas drawl between kisses to her new bite mark, “And I plan to. Later. I’m gonna show you how a real Bear pleases his mate, again and again,” he kissed and licked her neck until she damn near came again from that alone.
Tonic, or was it Bolder, nodded his head at her a slight blush on his cheeks which told him they were probably not as quiet as they’d thought. Oops. He went back to scrolling through his phone. She doubted he was really looking at the screen, but he was operating under the pretense of being a patient.
She understood the reason for him being there, but she hated the whole situation. The Hunter Vamps were a deadly problem for not just the Clan, but the normals who lived in Barvale as well.
The doctor in her even accepted the fact the creatures couldn’t just be killed, but her she-Bear demanded their blood. They’d injured her and attacked her mate. Oh yeah. She wanted them gone. Grrr.
The day passed quickly, and Luisa rolled her shoulders. Summer days sure were long. Even when you were working. Ugh.
Nate had returned a couple of times. Once with coffee and fresh honey glazed pastries from Bear Claw Bakery. And she didn’t think she could love him anymore. The caffeine and sugar were the very things she’d needed to get her through the last batch of patients.
It seemed an entire group of Bear Scouts, don’t laugh, had wandered into a patch of Poison Oak and then foolishly ran into a cave. Something inside bit one of the kids and he needed to be seen and treated immediately. The rest of them were okay except for a nasty case of the itches. Normals and their kid’s clubs. SMH.