by Sophie Stern
“Don’t worry, Mom. He’s going to guard me.”
“Guard you?”
“Yeah,” Cole yawned and flipped on the nightlight. “I have my light and I have my cat. I’m good.”
Well, then. It sounded like my sweet kid was in good hands.
“Goodnight, sugar.”
“Goodnight, Mom.”
I made it all the way downstairs before I noticed the soft, gentle music playing in the living room. Dale was standing there in all of his beauty, and he was waiting for me.
Fuck, this guy was hot.
Like, it should really be illegal. Who said it was okay to look this good all of the time? I remembered him being good-looking back in the day, but this was something else entirely.
This was...
Well, he was making me wet, and he hadn’t even touched me.
“You’re playing music?”
“Come here.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I glided into the room, walking quietly to the center of the large, open space. Dale had pushed the couch back, so the living room was practically empty. I reached him, and he cupped my face and kissed me.
“I love you, Ruby.”
“I love you, too,” I said easily.
We’d had what was probably our first real fight, but we were going to get through this. No matter what the world wanted to throw at us, we were going to get through it together.
We had to.
“Then dance with me.”
He tugged me close, pulling me into his arms, and we danced. Dale and I together were an unlikely duo. He was a military man, and he was a bear shifter, and he was incredible.
Me?
I was a book expert and a human, and I was still figuring out exactly what I wanted to do with my life.
I knew one thing for certain, though.
I wanted him.
I wanted to be with him.
I wanted to be here.
Song after song played, and Dale and I danced together. The moonlight was shining into the cabin through the big back window, but I just kept focusing on him. I just kept thinking about this moment.
Suddenly, he stopped dancing, and he sniffed the air.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Snow,” he smiled. He pointed to the window, and I turned to look. Sure enough, soft snowflakes were fluttering down to the ground.
“Beautiful,” I whispered.
“So are you.”
I looked over at Dale, and I smiled.
“I didn’t expect this to happen,” I told him.
“I never expected to come home and have a letter from you,” he said.
“Sorry I didn’t tell you my real name,” I whispered.
“When I got the letter, I had no idea what was going on. I didn’t remember you. I didn’t remember anyone called Ruby. I certainly didn’t remember spending a night with a woman whose name I didn’t know.”
“I hope you don’t have any regrets on that front.”
“Not a single one,” he said.
Dale and I stood together for a long time as we watched the snow fall. It swirled around, and soon it started to pile up on the ground. Before the morning, there was going to be a lot of snow outside.
“Cole and Snowball are going to have a great day tomorrow,” he murmured.
“And just in time.”
“Just in time?”
“Tomorrow is Christmas Eve,” I smiled, looking up at him.
It was going to be our first holiday as a family. It would be the first holiday where Cole got to know his dad. Perhaps most importantly, it would be the first holiday where I would know, without a doubt, that I was truly loved and cared for.
“Merry Christmas.”
Dale kissed me again, right there in the living room. The music was still playing, and the snow was falling, and we were alone there.
“Merry Christmas.”
“Ruby, I want to ask you something,” he told me.
“Anything,” I nodded.
“I’ve already told you that I believe you’re my mate.”
“You want to mark me,” I blurted out.
He tensed but nodded.
“The marking of a mate isn’t a bad thing,” he told me slowly. “Not every couple does this, and we don’t have to, but...”
“It would make your bear happy,” I whispered, placing my hands on his chest.
“Yes,” he nodded, “it would make my bear very happy.”
“And other shifters would know that I’m yours,” I continued.
“Exactly.”
“Jake told me.”
Dale laughed.
“Can we do it outside?” I asked.
“In the snow?”
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
We tugged on jackets and boots, and then we went out into the backyard. We stood there as the snow fell, wrapping itself around us, and Dale lifted my wrist to his lips. He kissed me softly there, and then he looked up at me.
“This is for forever,” he told me.
“Forever,” I whispered.
He didn’t shift into his bear form the way I thought he might. Instead, he simply pressed his teeth against my wrist and bit down, tearing the skin. It didn’t hurt very much – only a pinch, really – and then he licked the wound closed with his tongue.
“Seriously?” I looked at my wrist.
“What do you mean?”
“You have healing powers.”
“Yes.”
“Do all shifters?”
“Yes.”
“Oh,” I muttered, “I guess that’s why you weren’t scared of Cole getting hurt when he fell.”
“You couldn’t have known,” he told me.
“I should have trusted you,” I looked up at him. I still felt bad for that.
“You’re trusting me now,” he said. He pressed his lips to the new mark that had appeared on my wrist. It was a small scar, and if I wasn’t wrong, it looked almost like a paw print.
“It’s pretty,” I said, looking at it.
“You’re pretty,” he countered.
He kissed me again as the snow fell, and I wrapped my arms around him.
“Thank you,” I whispered, for everything. “Thank you for coming out of the woods to find me, Dale.”
“How could I resist you, Ruby?”
“You can do anything if you put your mind to it,” I chuckled at my own joke, but he tilted my chin up so I was forced to look in his eyes, and he shook his head.
“No, I can’t.”
“You can’t?”
“There are some things I can’t do, and one of them is live without you. I lived without you for years after we first got together, Ruby, but never again. I don’t want to be without you. Not anymore.”
I leaned up on my tip-toes, and I kissed him again.
My Dale.
My mate.
My bear.
My everything.
When we went back into the house, we sat on the couch together for a long time just looking outside.
“How did I get so lucky?” I whispered, looking at him. “We got a second chance. Sometimes it still feels like a dream.”
“I’m glad every day that you hunted me down and that my old neighbor is a gossiping busybody,” he laughed.
“You should probably write her a thank-you note,” I said solemnly.
“I’ll do that,” Dale grinned. “I’ll do that.”
Epilogue
Six months later
Ruby
BEAUTY IS ALL AROUND us.
Sometimes, the world can be a truly incredible place filled with laughter and hugs and adoration.
Other times, the world feels like it’s surrounding us like a deep ocean, ready to pull us under.
In Dale, I found peace from the chaos.
I found hope.
When my kid turned into a bear for the first time, I hadn’t really expected much. I thought maybe Dale would help me out or may
be point me in the right direction for getting answers, but did I think he was going to come save me?
No.
Did I think he was going to rescue me?
No.
Did I think he was going to turn into the man of my dreams?
Also, no.
Falling in love wasn’t something I ever really thought was in the cards for me. One night of passion doesn’t always equate to a lifetime of happiness, after all. Yet there we were, six months later, and I’d never been happier.
Cole’s birthday celebration was something we spent weeks planning because our little dude wanted something fun and incredible. He didn’t want the normal party fare, though. Not our Cole.
Instead of a big birthday celebration, we planned a mini-vacation. The three of us hopped into Dale’s SUV, drove to Honeypot, Colorado, and rented a cabin for the weekend. It was the kind of place you could just unwind in. It was the type of rental where you could just let yourself go.
Despite the fact that we lived in a mountain cabin ourselves, traveling to another place was a lot of fun. Visiting a shifter town full of people like Cole and Dale was relaxing. It meant nobody had to worry about saying the wrong thing or accidentally revealing themselves. Besides, Honeypot was known for having lots of places to roam around and shift and feel free, so Dale and Cole had plenty of chances to explore, and I could settle down with the stack of books I’d brought along.
We were nestled safely in our rental cabin, our home-away-from-home, and we were sitting on the porch watching the sun rise. I reached for Dale’s hand and squeezed, letting him know I was content. This moment was everything to me, and being with Dale?
Well, it was everything I ever hoped it would be.
“What are you thinking about?” Dale asked me.
What was I thinking about?
Everything.
I was thinking about the fact that I was happy, and that I was safe. I was thinking about how lucky I was to have found someone who truly cared about me. Perhaps most of all, I was thinking about just how wonderful it was to have met someone who made my heart feel like it was going to explode in the very best way.
Oh, I was thinking about him.
“This is just...it’s really nice.”
“I think so, too.”
“And I’m glad that I’m here with you.”
That was probably the truest thing I’d ever said. I was glad that I was with him. I was glad I was near him. Being mated to a bear shifter wasn’t really what I’d planned for. It certainly wasn’t the way I’d expected my life to turn out.
But he was wild.
And he was crazy.
And he was...
Everything.
“I love you,” I whispered, reaching for his hand.
“I love you, too.”
“I love you!” Dale and I turned to see Cole coming out of the cabin. He was yawning, stretching in his tiny pajamas.
“Good morning,” I said to my little boy.
“Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Dad.”
I saw the way Dale’s eyes misted up when Cole called him Dad. It wasn’t something either one of us expected Cole to be quite so comfortable with, yet the little cub surprised us over and over. Cole had started calling Dale Dad almost right away, and I didn’t miss the way Dale’s eyes teared up every single time.
“Morning, kiddo,” Dale said, ruffling Cole’s hair.
Cole came all the way out onto the porch and climbed onto the porch swing. He wiggled between us and together, the three of us watched the sun continue to climb up into the sky.
The road ahead of us was going to be hard, but it was going to be incredible. I didn’t know how to raise a shifter child, but together, Dale and I were going to do our very best to make sure that Cole had a life he could be happy with.
We wanted the very best for our kid, and we wanted the very best for ourselves. When I looked at Dale, I saw so many things.
Strength.
Bravery.
Ferocity.
When I looked at him, I saw a man who wasn’t afraid to go after what he wanted, and I kind of loved that. He was incredible.
He was everything.
I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life making him smile every single day.
THE END
Author
Sophie Stern writes vampires, cowboys, werewolves, dragons, and fairy tales. Her books feature deliciously wonderful characters and deliciously naughty adventures. If you enjoyed Out of the Woods, you may like one of her other romances, such as Dark Favors or The Feisty Librarian. You’ll also want to check out other stories that take place in Honeypot, Colorado. Start with HONEYPOT DARLINGS and then check out HONEYPOT BABIES. You won’t want to miss these stories!
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Thank you so much for reading.
Books
Other books by Sophie Stern
HONEYPOT DARLINGS
HONEYPOT BABIES
DRAGON ISLE
THE FABLESTONE CLAN
THE FEISTY DRAGONS
DRAGON ENCHANTED
DON’T DATE DEMONS
POLAR BEARS OF THE AIR FORCE
DARK FAVORS
SAVORED
Sophie’s books are available wherever eBooks are sold.
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other books!
CONQUERED (The Hidden Planet)
Abducted.
Taken.
Locked away.
Fiona doesn't know true fear until she is whisked away from her loving family and doting boyfriend. When she finds herself on an alien ship with only a gHankt beast for company, her fear turns to anger when she realizes her loved ones have betrayed her.
Quinn doesn't know what to do with the squirrely little human aboard his ship. Yeah, he bought her, but only to save her from a worse fate. She has no idea what could have happened to her if he hadn't found her. She has no idea what could have happened on Dreagle. But now she's on his ship and somehow, she's wormed her way into his heart. Can he ever let her go?
CONQUERED is available wherever eBooks are sold.
ALIEN BEAST
He's a war hero.
She's a virgin.
He's broken.
She's perfect.
When he finds her in the midst of an alien war, Luke takes Willow for himself. He can't help himself. He's never taken a prisoner alive before, but Willow is different. He needs her. He wants her. Most of all, he craves her.
Willow is a human who has the worst luck in the world. When the tour ship she's on malfunctions and crash-lands on the wrong planet, she's thrust into the middle of a war: one she has no desire to be in.
Then everything changes.
She's captured by an alien beast unlike anything she's ever seen before.
And the worst part is that after awhile, she's not so sure she wants him to let her go.
ALIEN BEAST is available wherever eBooks are sold.
STARBOARD
Christina hasn't had a regular Dom since her husband died in Afghanistan. She's a war widow with a daughter: she doesn't have time for relationships, but she does make time to play.
Christina goes to Anchored to unwind and to have her submissive needs met. Whether she's playing with a Dom or Domme, Christina's partners all know one thing: she's there to serve, not to find love.
It's all fun and games for the Damsel of the Dungeon until a new Dom arrives and he sets his sights on her.
Only, he's not just interested in scening with Christina.
He's interested in everything.
Zack has always considered himself a good lawyer, a loyal friend, and an observant Dominant. When his business partner and best friend, Tony, invites him to visit a local sex club, Zack's ready for anything.
Except the feisty brunette who doesn't want to be taken care of.
After the third tim
e he sees Christina refusing aftercare, Zack decides to do something about it, only Christina isn't like other subs.
It's a good thing he loves a challenge.
CHAPTER ONE
Christina
“ARE YOU READY?” ODESSA’S shoes click loudly as she makes her way across the locker room floor. She’s wearing five-inch bright-red stilettos tonight and honestly, I have no idea how the hell she manages to walk in those things. I prefer to be barefoot, myself, but that’s probably just because I don’t have half the grace Odessa has.
“Just about,” I tell her. “Let me finish my mascara.” I twirl the mascara brush over my eyelashes one last time. I really should invest in falsies, but I’m just not confident enough in my ability to put them on. Besides, the double-dark mascara I’m wearing tonight makes me look incredible.
Kissable.
Fuckable.
It makes me look unstoppable.
“You look great, love,” Odessa kisses me on the cheek and manages to pry me away from the vanity mirror. “But it’s time. The night is in full swing and if I’m not mistaken, you have a date with Destiny tonight.”
“Her name is Mistress D,” I smile, but Odessa is right. We both know Destiny from outside the club. It should make playing together a little weird, but somehow, it doesn’t. Somehow, playing with Mistress D is different than working with Destiny.
Odessa just rolls her eyes and gives me a once over. She reaches out and adjusts the corset I’m wearing, pushing my breasts up just a little higher. Then she walks around me, smoothing out the miniskirt I’m wearing and making sure each part of my outfit looks good, perfect. She makes sure I look complete, and for that, I am grateful.
I’ve been playing at Anchored for months now, but sometimes, I still get nervous. Tonight isn’t my first night playing with Mistress D and it certainly won’t be my last, but sometimes I still worry that I’m not going to be good enough to please my partners. Sometimes I worry that I’m not going to be good enough to make this fun for them.