by M. L. Briers
It was a cross between questioning his sanity and suspicion.
“I’m not going to get lost,” Donna said.
“Sorry?”
“Between the grocery store and my cabin, I’m not going to get lost. I know where I’m going,” Donna offered back, and Malachi grimaced. She was miffed.
“I didn’t think you were,” Malachi offered back. She was human; he didn’t know how to handle human females.
“Then stop following me,” she gave a small shrug of her shoulders, a half smile that didn’t reach her eyes, and wrinkled her nose as if she was annoyed.
“Can’t.” Malachi shrugged back at her.
“Try.”
“I would — but it will be a wasted effort on my part.”
“You’re telling me that you’re going to follow me around like a stray?” Donna asked, and then meant the grimaced to herself at her analogy. She guessed a bear would like being called a mutt.
“And look at that — you didn’t even feed me, either.” He grinned, and she was relieved. She knew the man had a sense of humor, she was just glad that he’d taken her words the right way.
“They say not to feed strays,” she shrugged again.
“Then it’s lucky I’m your mate,” Malachi growled at being able to say the word.
Mine…
His beast said the word — the claim — that he couldn’t yet say out loud. He wished he could, but he didn’t want to scare her away.
Malachi knew that he could be doing just that by his actions, chasing her away by trying to keep her safe. He didn’t want to appear overbearing, and yet it was in his DNA.
“Well, I’m going to put these groceries in my car — drive to my cabin — and make use of my free time. Just in case you lose me on the way,” Donna’s voice was dripping with sarcasm.
“Have you had breakfast?” He asked for two reasons — one; he hadn’t had breakfast and boy was he hungry — not just for breakfast. Two; his mate needed to eat, and he needs to make sure that she had. If that meant spending extra time together — that was just a happy coincidence.
“Are we back to me feeding a stray?” The amusement in her eyes told him that she might just have forgiven him for following her — there was no saying that was the truth of it — but, he could hope.
“If you’re offering…”
“I wasn’t,” Donna chuckled.
“Then I am offering. You can you come home with me and cooking breakfast, or you can play it safe, and we can grab some at the bakery.” Malachi tossed out the challenge to his mate, where she recognized it as a challenge or not didn’t matter. It was still a way to gauge how nervous she was around him.
“I never play things safe.” Donna offered him a grin.
Malachi had to bet that she didn’t know how sexy she looked right then. His cock was twitching inside his jeans worn like it was trying to break free to get to her.
He’d definitely liked that a lot.
“Back to my cabin is then…”
“And I also never accept food from strange men.” She chuckled as she turned to walk away from him.
“I may be strange — in more ways than one — but I’m still your mate.” Malachi chuckled as he called after her. She turned and offered him a damn sexy look over her shoulder.
“The jury is still out on that one.” She grinned.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
~
Brook was looking forward to collecting on the many favors that he was owed by the bear shifter. It had taken a merry dance to get as many favors as he could squeeze out of the man, just to do him one in return. But it was a big one.
He was more than bored — guarding the mate of a bear shifter when there didn’t appear to be any danger around wasn’t exactly a thrilling activity for him. But Malachi had assured him that he needed a few hours by himself, and he couldn’t leave his mate alone.
Brook could finally hear the bear shifter’s truck coming down the road, and the vampire sighed with relief. There were times in his life when being dead would have been preferable to being bored stiff.
When the truck rolled up beside him, and Malachi lowered the driver’s window, Brook tossed a look of pure disbelief at the man.
“This is why you needed me to protect your mate?” The vampire asked with disdain as he motioned toward the truck.
“Yes.”
“This was the pressing, urgent matter that needed your full attention?”
“Yes.”
“I see.” The vampire folded his arms across his chest and looked completely unimpressed.
“Good.”
“That’s it? That the only explanation I’m going to get?”
“Yes.”
“You know these one-word answers annoy me so, right?”
“Yes.” Malachi could have chuckled at the sight of the vampire looking as if he’d sucked on a very sour human.
“A Christmas tree?” Brook demanded an answer. “You went home to cut down a Christmas tree?”
“Yes.” Malachi did chuckle then because the vampire’s eyes practically swiveled within his head.
“Fine. I’m going to make sure the favors that you owe me are decidedly hard going — on you,” Brook turned away, yanked open the door of his car, and folded his tall frame inside the sporty number.
“Bye.” Malachi didn’t start chuckling until he’d rolled up his window and was driving toward his mate’s cabin.
He felt good. He liked that he was taking a Christmas tree to his mate’s cabin.
He’d never celebrated Christmas before, but he understood it was a human family thing to do.
He liked the thought of being a family.
The sound of Brook’s sports car taking off down the road at speed only made him chuckle harder. Having the vampire mad at him was just a bonus — considering how many favors the man had asked for with just the one in return.
When he pulled up in front of his mate’s cabin, Donna opened the door straight away, that definitely felt like home and family to him.
He noted the way her eyes took in the large pine tree that was strapped to the back of his truck. First, there was awe, and then there was a look of pure disbelief.
“What did you do?” Donna chuckled as she gave a small shake of her head when Malachi unfolded himself from inside the cab of the truck and started around the back toward the tree.
“You’re human — you need a Christmas tree,” Malachi didn’t think he was wrong. He’d heard her daughter speaking of Christmas, and so he knew that they celebrated it.
“And boy is that a tree!” Donna folded her arms, tipped her head to one side, and eyed the beast of a pine. That was going to shed buckets and all over the cabin.
“You don’t like it?” Malachi hesitated as he reached for the bindings that held it to the truck. “I can get you a different one.”
“I like it — it’s just…” She took a breath and opened her mouth, but only silence came out.
“Too big?” Malachi read her mind. Her mouth opened wider, and her eyes narrowed, but still without a word. “It’s too big, right?” Malachi sighed to himself.
He’d picked the best tree on his land. He thought she’d like it. But, now that he looked with her eyes — it was a little bit too big.
“It’s…impressive.”
“Which is female speak for too big,” Malachi sighed. He’d messed up — again.
“I’m sure we can manage to walk around it if we shove it in the far corner,” Donna gave a small grimace.
“I can get a different tree,” Malachi assured her.
“No! It’s fine,” she chuckled.
It was fine too. It was sweet, and it was kind — and Stacey was going to love it.
“No, I can just go cut down another one,” Malachi said.
He’d have to get the vampire to agree to come back, and that would be another few favors that he’d owe the man, but it would be worth it. This was all for family.
“Wait? You cut
this tree down — yourself?” Donna chuckled harder.
Now his actions were even sweeter, and she felt a little guilty overreacting to the size of it. Big guy – big gesture – and a damn big tree.
“I wanted to make sure that it was nice and fresh for you, and it would last until after New Year — that’s right, right? You keep your trees up until after the New Year?” Malachi frowned. He sure wasn’t used to human traditions.
“That’s right. “She twisted her head and gave him a curious look. “You’re not going to dress up as Santa are you?”
“Should I do that?” Malachi looked unsure of himself.
Donna couldn’t help but chuckle. Between his question, and the look on his face, she had the urge — the desire — to play up to his uncertainties and tell him that a Santa outfit was a must. But she just couldn’t bring herself to do it because she was chuckling too hard.
“No,” she said as she put her hand over her mouth and chuckled all the more. “Although, I think it would be kind of funny to see you all dressed up in a Santa suit.”
“Thanks — I think,” he looked even more confused. “I got some other stuff too.”
Malachi reached in for the large bags that he’d stuffed on either side of the Christmas tree to keep them in place. His mate looked curious, and when he opened the first bag, puffed out his chest with pride, and showed her inside, she started to chuckle again.
“Seriously?” Donna could see the funny side of it.
“You don’t like that either?” Malachi frowned. It appeared that he’d messed things up — again.
“What’s not to like? Santa,” Donna grinned.
“So you do want me to dress up as Santa?” Malachi asked — confused.
“Tell me what you know about Christmas?” Donna chuckled.
“Not a damn thing. But I figured I’d better learn,” Malachi gave a small shrug of his shoulders and looked a little sheepish.
He wasn’t sure if he’d done the right thing, but it had made her laugh – that was the most important thing in his book.
CHAPTER TWELVE
~
Malachi was happy in his work. He was with his mate, spending his day putting up Christmas lights all over the outside of the cabin, while Donna decorated the tree inside.
She kept making coffee, copious amounts of it and bringing it out to him. He liked that. It made him feel as if his mate was taking care of him the way he wanted to take care of her.
The other good thing in his book was that she’d left the front door open so that they could chat. He liked that to. They may not have been doing the same thing together, but in a way they still were.
They were spending time together, and Malachi thought that was probably the best thing that he could do to be able to woo her. If she was on the inside of the cabin with the door closed, and he was on the outside then wooing would be harder.
“Well, I’m done with the tree,” Donna announced as she came out with another refill for his coffee cup. He didn’t mind that he was swimming in coffee either.
“I’m nearly done with the lights. Do you think that Stacey will like them?”
Malachi tucked the last of the cable around the side of the guttering and gave it a gentle tug to make sure that it would stay in place. Then he nodded at his handiwork and backed down the ladder.
“What’s not to like? Every child likes fairyland,” Donna chuckled. She was grinning behind her coffee cup, and he didn’t know whether that was a good sign or not.
“You think it’s too much?” Malachi was unsure once more.
“I think when you do something nice for someone, you should stop worrying, and stop asking them to poop all over it,” Donna said.
“I don’t understand?” Malachi didn’t follow her reasoning.
“It’s wonderful — it’s sweet — it’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for Stacey, or for me. Stop questioning yourself,” Donna wasn’t chuckling anymore.
He could see the sincerity in her eyes, and he puffed out his chest and enjoyed the moment.
He guessed he might have gotten something right, after all.
“Oh poop! Look at the time. I’m going to pick up Stacey,” she turned, and a put her cup down on the windowsill before disappearing into the house. He could hear her keys jangling before she reappeared.
“I’ll follow you,” Malachi placed his cup beside hers before turning toward her.
“No, you won’t.”
“Yes, I will.” Malachi scowled.
He wasn’t about to let her drive to the school and back by herself. Not without protection.
“No, you won’t,” Donna said little more forcibly.
“Look…”
“You’re coming with me.” Donna gave a small shrug of her shoulders and challenged him with just a look.
“I am? — I am!” Malachi was confused, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“Yes, you are.”
“Why am I?” He didn’t want to look at gift horse in the mouth, but curiosity did get the better of him.
Why had she suddenly changed her tune?
“Because we’re going to get Stacey and bring her back here, and we’re going to show her…Christmas.” She gave him another small shrug of her shoulders, and he was no better off in understanding her.
“Again, why am I?”
“Because you’re the one that gave her Christmas, don’t you want to see if she likes it?” Donna didn’t wait for his reply.
Instead, she started toward her car and heard him following on behind her. It was hard to miss — he was kind of grumbling and growling under his breath.
Malachi felt nervous — very nervous — very, very, very nervous. He had something of a boulder wedged in his stomach that felt as if it weighed him down.
It wasn’t just the fact that he was about to meet his daughter — it was the fact that he’d done something for her and he didn’t know if she would like it or not. It was his first test as a parent — what if he failed?
What if he failed so badly that she hated him and never wanted to see him again?
Malachi’s bear was on edge. That wasn’t a good thing — it only made him feel more nervous.
It wasn’t that he expected his bear to break free at any moment and attack anyone — that wasn’t going to happen around his family — not unless someone attacked them. It was just that his bear was nervous too — that had never happened before.
Malachi was in uncharted waters. And so was his beast.
~
~
~
Stacey sat on the booster seat in the back of her mother’s car and eyed the big man in the front seat next to her mother. Mummy had a new friend — and that was okay — because Stacey was making new friends of her own at school.
He was kind of big, probably the biggest person that she had ever seen before, and she liked his eyes. They were smiley.
“Can we get ice cream?” Stacey asked.
It was always good to ask her mother for something when someone else was there because she was more than likely to get it.
“It’s winter…” Donna started, but her daughter cut her off.
“And so we won’t notice how cold the ice cream is,” Stacey offered back with a small smile that Donna caught in the rearview mirror.
“She has a point,” Malachi said. Donna tossed him a curious look, and he shrugged his large shoulders. “Just saying.”
“See — Malachi wants ice cream too,” Stacey announced.
“There’s always room for ice cream,” Malachi grinned.
“Not helping,” Donna muttered, but he caught it.
“You, or her?” Malachi asked and heard the giggles that came from the back of the car. His bear-like the sound of that as much as he did.
“We already have a surprise for you back at the cabin,” Donna tossed back over her shoulder and knew that her daughter would be occupied trying to work that one out. Hopefully, that would st
op all talk of ice cream.
“What is it?” Stacey asked.
“If we told you that then it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?” Malachi tossed a happy chuckle back over his shoulder.
“Can we hurry to get home?” Stacey demanded.
“Don’t speed with her in the car,” Malachi’s smile had turned into a scowl.
“I wouldn’t!” Donna gave him a quick look that questioned his sanity.
“Just saying,” Malachi scowled even more at the thought that he might have miffed off his mate once again. That wasn’t his intention. He just wanted to keep them both safe.
“Well, thank you. But I think I know how to drive,” Donna said, but when Malachi snuck a look at her to see just how miffed she was, he found that her lips were turned up at the corners in a small smile.
He breathed a sigh of relief.
“Mummy’s a very good driver,” Stacey announced from the back.
“Well, thank you, Stacey.” Donna lifted her chin with pride.
“It wasn’t her fault that the hedgehog was in the middle of the road and didn’t move fast enough,” Stacey announced.
Donna grimaced inwardly as she snuck a look at Malachi. Malachi allowed his eyebrows to rise slowly up his forehead as his lips pulled back in a grin.
“Mummy says hedgehogs are nature’s little speed bumps,” Stacey offered from the back seat, and Malachi watched his mate deflate a little and grimace. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
~
“Whoa!” Stacey announced at the sight of the cabin all lit up like fairyland.
There was a wonderment in her eyes that Malachi liked a lot as her gaze flicked back and forth from the roof to the windows, and from the windows back to the roof. She couldn’t seem to take it all in or get enough of it.
“There’s more inside,” Donna announced to her daughter’s delight.
“Yes!” Stacey took off on fast feet and reached the front door in record time.
Malachi couldn’t help but puff out his chest with pride. Donna couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of him.