“And that’s how she died?”
“Yes. She was given it. It works differently on shifters; it makes them imprint on the first person they see once they take it.”
“Imprint. Oh…”
“The guy she was trying to infiltrate gave her some. He knew somehow she was a shifter. But it didn’t work.”
“Why?”
“Because she already had a mate. Because of me. After they got the information from her, found why it didn’t work, they killed her.”
“Liam. I’m so sorry.” She reached out and touched him, her fingers sending warmth and a sense of calm though his body. “I didn’t know.”
“You are like my second chance. I never thought I’d get a happy ever after. But there you were.”
“But it wasn’t love at first sight, or whatever it was that you shifters call it. It was after you had that dr…” She put her hand over her mouth. “You took the drug!”
She had jumped to the right conclusion, but he needed to explain the facts. “I didn’t know. Joel put it in the drink.”
“He asked me to stay, to make sure you drank it. He knew what would happen!”
“Yes.”
“It was such a risk. What if I had been married, or in love, or a lesbian?!”
He laughed bitterly. “It would have finished me off, but I was gone anyway. The case, catching those responsible for Niq It and breaking the supply chain, it kept me going. I was contemplating killing the guy who killed Louisa, and then taking my own life.”
“Liam, that’s terrible!” She moved closer to him. “Are you sure I’m the right one for your second chance?”
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, wanting to chase away any doubts she might have. She pressed her body against hers, and he wanted to hold her, to make love to her, but this was not the time or the place. He pulled away from her. “I want to believe that fate made Joel put the drug in my drink, that fate chose you, just as it chose Louisa.”
“Do you still miss her terribly?” Carla asked, and his heart broke to see the pain and doubt in her face.
“That’s the worst thing,” he said, his breath shuddering in his chest as he spoke. “The deeper I fall in love with you, the less I miss her.”
“But you said Niq It didn’t work on those with mates.”
“I didn’t have a mate. She was gone. Maybe that was the reason, or maybe in the two years since Louisa died, they refined Niq It.” He looked at her, willing her to understand. “Whatever the reason, and no matter how much I hate the drug, I am thankful. For you, Carla, and the life we can have together. That’s why I changed departments, because I know this is where my future is, with you, and I want you to know how committed I am to making you happy.”
“I’m going to need some time to wrap my head around all this,” she said, and his heart felt lighter, the relief brought on by her words sudden and swift.
“But you’ll give me a chance?” he said. “Bear and all.”
“I think the bear is cute. You, on the other hand, are going to have to work at it.”
He stood up, and pulled her to her feet, holding her in his arms. “Whatever it takes. I’ve lost one mate. I don’t intend to let that happen again.”
“You aren’t the only one who is going to have to work at it. I don’t want to take this mating bond thing for granted. Our relationship has to be based on more than that.”
“Well, the sex was OK too,” he whispered in her ear, before he swallowed her retort with a kiss.
Chapter Nineteen – Carla
“Thank you so much for looking after Sophia,” Tammy said, picking her daughter up and kissing her on the cheek.
“No problem at all. Liam is very good with her,” Carla responded in a hushed voice. Liam was now doing the other thing he did best, mending the closet in her bedroom.
“That man would make a wonderful husband, and father,” Tammy said with a wink. “You are sleeping together, aren’t you?”
Carla blushed. “Once. When we first met.”
“Why not since? He looks as if he knows exactly how to satisfy a woman.” Tammy laughed as Carla blushed. “I’m right, then.”
“Maybe.”
“So why aren’t you sleeping together now?” Tammy asked.
“We wanted to get to know each other more. You know, it all happened so fast.”
“And we’re here cramping your style.” Tammy smiled. “I want you to promise me that as soon we leave, you are going to drag that man off to bed.”
“I don’t want to rush things. We could have gone to his place, but … well.”
“Don’t hold out too long. You don’t want him running off and finding another woman.”
“He won’t,” Carla reassured her.
“Take my advice, tie him to the bed and…” She put her hands over Sophia’s ears and whispered, “Fuck his brains out.”
Carla blushed and then giggled, then placed her hand on her stomach, she felt the now-familiar feeling of nausea sweep over her. For the last week she had been battling a stomach bug. It had gotten so bad that even the beer at work was making her want to run for the bathroom.
“You OK, Carla?” Tammy asked, her face creasing in concern.
“Yes. It will pass,” Carla said, breathing in through her nose and then letting it go through her mouth. “I may have to go and see the doctor. I’ve felt like this for a few days. Can’t be anything I’ve eaten; it would have passed by now.”
Tammy stood staring at her. “I know you are Mike’s big sister. So I know you would have taken precautions when you had your one night of passion with that man banging around in your bedroom.”
Carla went pale. “Oh.”
Tammy burst out laughing. “Welcome to the mommy club. You had better go and get a test quick. Damn, Carla, you know you are supposed to have plenty of practice in bed before you get pregnant.”
“I don’t seem able to do anything conventionally.”
“And everyone thought Mike and I were irresponsible when I got pregnant so young. At least we had been together for years,” Tammy said, and then stopped laughing as she took in Carla’s shocked face.
Putting Sophia in her high chair, she went back to Carla and hugged her. “Listen. He’s a good man, you said it yourself he won’t leave. And if he does, you have me and Mike to help you out. You will not be alone.”
“How am I supposed to tell him?”
“First you need to find out for sure.”
“I never thought. I missed my period, I figured it was all the stress of … never mind.” She couldn’t finish the sentence: the stress of finding out Liam was a bear.
“Of having us here?” Tammy asked.
“No. I’ve loved every minute.”
“Right, well, this is me returning the favor. Watch Sophia, I’m going to run to the drug store.”
“No,” Carla hissed.
“Yes.” Tammy grabbed her purse and was out the door, leaving Carla with a very anxious wait. Please don’t come down here, she thought as she heard a lull in hammering, then intense relief flooded her as Liam set to work again.
An endless ten minutes later, Tammy rushed through the door. “Here. You can use it anytime, so go do it now.” She grinned. “People will be talking. Old Mrs. Holland gave me this look, and I swear she tutted. Whole town will think I’m pregnant again. Mike will have a shock if he hears.”
“Not as big a shock as he’ll get if I’m pregnant.” She stood holding the packet, staring at it.
“Go. Go. Pee on it now.” Tammy shoved her out of the kitchen, and out into the hallway.
With shaking hands, Carla went to the bathroom, and opened the box. Five minutes later, she was sitting on the toilet seat, staring at the wand in her hand that told her life as she knew it was about to change forever.
“So?” Tammy asked, after knocking on the door quietly.
Carla could still hear Liam working just down the hallway. Getting up on shaky legs, she opened th
e door. She didn’t have to say a word to Tammy, who was holding Sophia on one hip, jiggling her to keep her happy.
“Listen. I’ll text Mike and get him to meet me at my parents’ house. You two need some time alone.” Tammy sounded so grownup and sensible. She gave Carla a quick hug and then made her way downstairs, texting with one hand while holding Sophia tightly.
Carla wanted to go back into the bathroom and lock the door. The queasiness in her stomach gave her an excuse for that, right?
No, this couldn’t wait. Liam needed to know. Turning, she went to the sink and ran the cold tap, splashing water on her face before wiping it dry and looking at herself in the mirror. She was pregnant. Wasn’t she supposed to glow? Instead a pale face stared back at her, blue eyes almost gray, as if the color had been leached out.
“Right,” she said, and then walked resolutely out of the sanctuary of the bathroom and into the bedroom where Liam was standing back and admiring his handiwork. He had completely remodeled the closet, rather than simply fixing the door.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“Wow, I never knew you were so handy around the house. It looks great,” she said.
“So you think I might be a keeper? Since I’m good with a hamm … er. What’s wrong?” he asked, coming to her, and holding her tight. “If you don’t like it, I can always fix it back the way it was.”
“No. I love it.” She nodded, looking at the closet, and then turning to look at Liam. “I wanted to talk to you. It’s about something important.”
“What’s happened?” he asked. “Has something happened to your brother, or Sophia?”
“No.” She shook her head again.
“Then what’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asked.
“There’s nothing wrong. Not exactly.”
“But something has happened,” he stated.
“Something happened a few weeks ago.” She nodded.
“What?” he frowned.
“We had sex.” She looked into his eyes, wanting to see his reaction, to be able to read it and know if he was pleased, or upset. He was still getting over the loss of his first mate, and finding another, and now Carla was about to throw this at him.
“We did.” He put his hands on her arms, rubbing them comfortingly. “Is that what this is about? I’ve been holding back because I don’t want rush things. We have the rest of our lives. And our lives are going to be long, and filled with love.”
He bent his head and kissed her, but she pushed him gently away. “No. That’s not it.”
“Then what?” His face clouded over with worry, and she couldn’t bear him thinking she might be about to finish their relationship.
So she just blurted it out. “I’m going to have a baby. Our baby.”
He took a step backwards and sat down heavily on the bed. “You are pregnant.”
“We didn’t take precautions. Remember?” She went and sat next to him. “Not the first time.”
“I remember. I remember every detail of that night. Our first time.” He put his arm over her shoulders, and hugged her close. “I’m sorry. I know it’s probably not what you wanted.”
“I don’t know about that. It’s just not exactly what I planned. But then only a few weeks ago I was single with no prospect of a boyfriend. Now I have you.” She kissed his cheek and held his other hand, stroking the back of it with her fingertips. “And you say you are here to stay.”
“I am,” he reassured her.
“Then I guess it would be nice to have a family.”
“Mike told me about your parents,” he said gently. “That is not going to be us.”
“I know.” She nodded. “I know. It still scares me though, that having a child so early in our relationship will be more difficult.”
“We’ll manage. As long as we make time for each other, and talk to each other.” He sighed, and she knew he was smiling. “I never dared hope I could be this happy.”
She lifted her head and looked at him, her hand stroking his cheek. “I’m so happy we found each other, Liam. I think we should make Joel the godfather of our child, just as a way of saying thank you.”
Liam chuckled. “Yes, the guy should be around to share in the responsibility of the child he helped create. If it wasn’t for him…”
“Or Louisa dying,” Carla finished.
“Or Louisa dying.” He kissed the top of her head. “Fate.”
“Fate.”
They sat in silence for a moment, and then he moved off the bed, to kneel before her on one knee. “Will you marry me, Carla?”
“Yes.” She didn’t ask if he was sure, she already knew the answer. Wrapping her arms around him, she slid down to the floor to kneel next to him, their bodies pressed together.
“I haven’t got a ring,” he admitted.
“Then we should find another way to seal the deal.”
“Seal the deal,” he laughed. “What do you have in mind?”
She nuzzled his neck. “I think you know exactly what is on my mind, because it is on your mind too.” She placed her hand on his cock, and squeezed it, hearing him groan.
“You don’t want to know what’s on my mind,” he said, pushing forward to increase the pressure she was putting on him.
“Oh, yes I do,” she said seductively, hoping Tammy had managed to get hold of Mike and he wasn’t about to come walking in and find them making love. She felt like a schoolgirl again, a naughty schoolgirl.
Liam moved, picking her up effortlessly and placing her down so she was sitting on the side of the bed, her feet on the floor. Lifting her skirt, he slid it up over her thighs, and then looped his fingers inside the elastic and pulled her panties down. Lowering his head, he began to kiss her inner thighs, working his way frustratingly slowly towards her aching sex.
She watched him, her hands stroking his back, occasionally moving to the nape of his neck and encouraging him to move faster, but he couldn’t be forced to move any quicker, so she had to endure every agonizing moment of ecstasy. Each kiss was accompanied by his tongue making small, circling movements that set her body on fire.
The ache between her thighs grew, her clit throbbing with need. A need for his mouth to suck her there, his tongue to lavish attention on her most sensitive place. As the torture of waiting grew in intensity, she lifted her hips, offering herself to him.
He placed his hands under her knees and lifted her legs, resting them on his shoulders, either side of his head. Holding her firmly in place, he at last pressed his lips to her clit, his tongue flicking over it. She cried out, the sensations so much more than she had anticipated, and her expectations had been high.
She fisted his hair roughly, her brain sending out signals to both pull him away and stop the torture he was inflicting on her, or make him give her more of that exquisite pain. She sobbed, her hips thrusting upwards, back arched as if a spasm took hold of her body. Her release was so close, but she didn’t want it to end.
Liam shifted her legs, freeing one of his hands to stroke along the length of her sex, probing her, then thrusting two fingers inside her, while his mouth worked its magic on the sensitive bundle of nerves that were the center of her existence.
His fingers moved roughly, in and out of her, his teeth grazing her clit, and in one long shuddering moment, the two sensations joined as one and she came. Pulsing, aching, her sex contracted around his fingers, she was so wet, he glided in and out of her, milking her orgasm from her, until she was utterly spent. Limp, exhausted, she lay with her eyes closed, as she fought to get her breathing under control. There was no hope for her emotions; they were in tatters.
Liam released her, lips kissing her soft thighs as he moved, the warmth of his body leaving her, and she shivered, chilled now he had gone.
Opening her eyes, she watched him stand up, and quickly strip off his jeans and T-shirt. There he stood, naked, glorious in his arousal. He was all hers, and tendrils of desire awoke once more in her stomach and unfurled, spreading out until her
skin was aflame, needing his touch.
Carla sat up, and undid the buttons of her shirt, while he watched, licking his lips. He wanted to taste her skin, she could see it in his eyes. Who was she to deny him?
Unclasping her bra, she freed her breasts and then stood up, only a foot away from him. The heat of his skin crossed the space between them, warming her. Surely he should be glowing, he seemed so hot! Tearing her mind away from him, she fumbled with the clasp on her skirt. He unnerved her in the most intoxicating way.
At last, her skirt was loose, and she let it fall to pool at her feet, while she pushed her panties down over her thighs. Stepping to the side, she stood as naked as he was, waiting for him to move, to touch her, but he simply stood and stared. Embarrassed, never liking to be naked like this with the lights on, she moved to cover herself.
“Don’t,” he said. Liam’s eyes were dark with desire. He closed the space between them, his hands stroking her skin. She let her arms fall to her sides, tilting her head up to claim his mouth. Fierce lips, warm hands, he awakened her body, and her arousal, unlocking a deep need for him. She had wanted him before, but nothing like this.
Pulling him back towards her, they fell onto the bed. Wriggling around, she opened her thighs so he could nestle between them, his cock pressing against her sex. Then he entered her, filling her, their bodies joined as one, in a perfect moment of bliss. Liam rested his weight on his elbows, moving slowly inside her.
“I love you,” he said, and began to move faster, in and out of her, thrusting deeper and deeper.
“I love you too,” she gasped, the feel of him impaling her on his cock leaving her breathless.
“We are going to have a perfect life.” He leaned down and kissed her, his lips soft, his tongue probing, and she let him in, just as she had let him into her life.
Digging her nails into his back, she urged him on, wanting him to come inside her, to know how much he was enjoying their lovemaking. Just as she was, the sensations flooding her body, a testament to how much he turned her on, and how well he knew how to satisfy her.
She may not have been his first mate, but she didn’t mind being second in this one thing. It meant that he was hers, and she was his, and their baby would be born in a house filled with love.
Second Chance Bear and a Baby: BBW Bear Shifter Baby Paranormal Romance (Who's the Daddy? Book 3) Page 9