He cooked dinner for her again the next night and stayed over. And the sex was even more amazing the second time around.
After he'd made love to her until she was too sore for another round, she ended the evening on her knees, his cock in her mouth, enjoying the sensation of making him shake and groan as she brought him to orgasm.
As she was falling asleep, curled against him afterwards, she realized that she was really going to miss him when she returned home to Cupertino.
No, I'm going to do more than just miss him. I'm going to be a mess, because he's going to break my heart, just like I thought he would.
Not that she would ever tell him about how she felt, not unless she wanted him to cut this idyll short.
Nope, she was going enjoy the hell out of him while she still had him and then figure out how to get over him later.
On Wednesday morning, she packed up Olivia and Royce and drove over to the ranch to have lunch with Margaret.
She drove past the burned-out remains of the Bearpaw Ridge Inn and saw heavy equipment at work, clearing away the charred tangled of debris. A cold chill passed through her as she remembered waking up in a room filled with smoke.
Margaret looked worn with grief as she greeted Steffi at the door.
"I'm so sorry about your sister, dear," she said as she ushered Steffi inside her house.
"And I can't tell you how sorry I am about Patrick," Steffi said, handing Margaret the bouquet of purple irises that she had bought on her way out of town. "He was a great guy, and I really liked him. He and Jessica were so happy together…I can't imagine what you're feeling right now."
"Thank you," Margaret said, accepting the flowers and leaning in to kiss Olivia, who was perched on Steffi's hip. "I didn't want to believe it, but now I suppose I have no choice."
Lunch was comfort food—a delicious homemade tomato soup topped with fresh basil, grilled cheese sandwiches made with a sharp cheddar produced at a local dairy, and bowls of fresh strawberries topped with freshly whipped cream.
Margaret waited until they had finished lunch and she had brewed a pot of tea for the two of them.
Then she dropped her bombshell.
"I've spent a lot of the past two days thinking about Olivia," she told Steffi as she poured tea. "And what might be best for her, now that Patrick and Jessica are…gone."
Steffi felt instant alarm clench her muscles.
Her gut told her that she wasn't going to like whatever Margaret was about to propose.
"Yes?" she asked, hoping she sounded calm above the pounding beat of her heart.
"We need to think of Olivia's best interests, dear," Margaret said, as she filled her own cup. "She's a shifter. And you are an Ordinary. Surely you see the problem?"
"No, I'm afraid I don't see. What are you saying?" asked Steffi.
She already guessed what Margaret wanted, but Steffi wanted to hear her say it out loud.
"I'm saying that she ought to be raised by shifters in a shifter community, where she won't have to hide who and what she is." Margaret sat back and busied herself with stirring a heaping spoon of sugar into her tea.
"You want to take her away from me?" Steffi's lips felt stiff with outrage and fear.
"Growing up here on the Grizzly Creek Ranch would be for her own good," Margaret said gently. "Don't get me wrong—I think you've done an outstanding job so far caring for her, but surely you want to go back to your old life? Your job? Your home in California?" She shook her head. "You live in a big city filled with Ordinaries. That's no place for one of our kind. Olivia belongs here, in Bearpaw Ridge…with her family."
But I'm her family, too! Steffi drew breath to protest.
But before she could speak, Margaret added, "Of course you could come visit her here, any time you liked."
Steffi began to shake with shock. "No. I don't think that plan is going to work for me," she managed.
Over the past two weeks, she had come to love Olivia like her own child. She wanted to be a part of Olivia's life, not just a distant auntie who visited her niece once or twice a year.
"Don't make me take you to court for custody," Margaret said, her voice suddenly as sharp as a blade.
"Go ahead, try it," Steffi countered, hating the quaver in her voice. "Jessica and Patrick trusted me with their daughter. Not you. You never even bothered to meet Jessica. In fact, you didn't even go to your son's wedding because you're prejudiced against people who aren't shifters." She glared at Margaret and pushed her chair back with a loud scrape against the hardwood floor.
"How dare you call me predj—" Margaret began to protest.
"I may just be an Ordinary, but Olivia belongs with me. Not with someone who hated her mother."
She stood and marched to the playpen that had been set up in the playpen in the living room.
"Time for us to leave, sweetie," she told Olivia she bent to pick up her niece.
"Steffi, please," Margaret said. She sounded angry and frustrated. "I want you to think about what's best for my granddaughter."
"I am," said Steffi, gathering Olivia up.
"So you're not going to be reasonable?" Margaret snapped.
"I am being reasonable. Olivia has an aunt and grandparents in California who love her very much and who can care for her." Steffi took a deep, shaking breath. "I promise I'll let her come visit you during the summers and for holidays."
Steffi headed for the door, tailed by Royce.
"Then I'll see you in court, Stephanie Tristan," Margaret called after her. "Olivia belongs here with us, you stupid stubborn Ordinary!"
Steffi simmered with rage and worry all the way back to the apartment. What was she going to do now? How was she going stop Margaret from getting custody of Olivia?
I need to get away from here. I need to go home, she realized as she parked the car.
Her hands clenched around the Subaru's steering wheel.
But what if those people—whoever they are—try to kidnap Olivia again? How can I keep her safe?
Her phone rang, the sound muffled by her purse. She dug into and saw Evan's Caller ID displayed.
"Hey, beautiful," he said, "I was calling to see what you felt like eating for dinner tonight."
She suddenly felt better when she heard his voice. The sick churn of anger and stress and worry in her gut began to subside.
"Hey," she replied, trying to sound normal.
It didn't work.
"What's wrong?" he asked immediately. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"
"I just got back from lunch with your Aunt Margaret," Steffi said, biting off each word. "She told me that she's going to try to take Olivia from me because I'm an Ordinary."
"What?" Evan sounded outraged. "She can't do that, can she?"
Steffi relaxed. She'd been worried that as a shifter, Evan would automatically agree with his aunt.
"I don't know," Steffi said. "She told me that if I didn't hand over Olivia, she'd take me to court."
Evan swore. "What are you going to do?" he asked.
"I'm going home," Steffi told him. "I’m going to pack up and get out of here as fast as I can. There's a rental car agency in Salmon that'll send a shuttle down for me. Your aunt wants to take me to court? Well, she can do it in California."
Evan was silent for a long time. Finally he said, "Please don't go anywhere right now, Steffi. Please. I'll help you."
"I thought you'd be on Margaret's side," Steffi said, feeling warmth thawing the icy lump in her middle. "She's a Swanson…and a shifter. I'm just an Ordinary."
"You're not 'just' anything, Steffi. And I'm on your side, I swear to you. Please stay until I get there. I need to check on something first, but I promise I'm coming over right after that."
"Okay," she said, doubtfully, not sure what he could do for her.
She decided she would still pack everything up, just in case he couldn't help.
At least I'll have a chance to say goodbye to him in person.
The thou
ght hurt. It's not fair. I thought I'd be able to see him for at least another week!
"I'll find a way to help you," Evan said firmly. "I promise."
Chapter 16
"Steffi is your mate? You actually mated her?" Mark asked twenty minutes later.
He leaned forward in his old leather-and-oak desk chair and stared incredulously at Evan.
Evan was sitting in Mark's office, which was located about halfway down Main Street. From his seat in Mark's visitor chair, he could see the backs of the letters painted on the window behind the wide antique desk: Mark E. Swanson, Attorney-at-Law.
Evan liked to tease his older brother about being a lawyer, but he sure hoped it would come in handy now.
"I didn't have a choice!" Evan said defensively. "My bear wouldn't even let me touch another woman. You should have seen how it reacted when Mary tried to kiss me!"
"And so you just let your dick do the thinking for you?" Mark sighed and sat back, shaking his head. "You know, if you'd just stayed away from Steffi while she was here, instead of charging in and sealing the mating bond with her, it would have faded away eventually once she returned to California. But now you're…committed."
"What?" Evan demanded. "You mean it would have just gone away on its own?"
Why didn't I know this? Why didn't Dane or Mark at least mention it when I told them what was happening?
And yet, Evan was finding it weirdly difficult to summon up any real feelings of regret.
He'd never felt as calm or happy as he had the past couple of days, when he'd practically moved into the apartment. Breakfast, dinner, bed…he loved being with Steffi.
And he especially loved waking up with her cuddled up against him and watching her slowly come to life with the coffee he made and served her in the mornings before he headed off to work.
"Dane and I both bet that you'd head for the hills as soon as we told you that Steffi was your fated mate," Mark said, sounding apologetic. "We never thought you'd actually go through with it."
"Thanks a fucking lot," snarled Evan.
"Frankly, I think you're going to make her a terrible mate," Mark added. "And I feel sorry for Steffi, because I'm betting that you haven't breathed a word of this to her."
"Uh…" Evan said uncomfortably
He still hadn't figured out how to broach the subject of fated mates to Steffi. Thinking he still had a week or two left of her visit, he had decided to wait until until they'd gotten to know each other a little better.
Mark continued, "And let me guess: she thinks that you guys just had a hot-and-heavy date and that you're hanging around her place because the sex was great, and she's leaving soon, so you don't want to waste any time."
"That's pretty much it," Evan was forced to admit.
Mark narrowed his eyes. "So she doesn't know that she's stuck with you? Forever?"
Evan glared at his brother. He hated it when Mark was right.
"Well, am I right?" pressed Mark.
"I'll tell her when the time is right. And I'm trying to be a good mate," Evan said, defensively. "That's why I'm here! Steffi's in trouble, and we need your help."
"Oh, really?" Mark asked sarcastically. He steepled his fingers under his chin. "Okay, I'll bite. How can I help you?"
"It has to do with Olivia. Aunt Margaret told Steffi she's going to petition for custody," Evan said and saw his brother's eyes widen. "And you didn't know anything about this?"
Mark shook his head.
"Well, it makes sense, with Olivia being a shifter and Steffi an Ordinary," he said slowly. "And I'm guessing that Steffi wants to keep her sister's baby?"
"Yes. She's done a really good job with Olivia so far," Evan replied.
Mark sighed. "I think that we need to get Steffi in here as quickly as possible. I need more information about what's going on."
"I'll phone her now," Evan said, relieved. "She's waiting for me at the apartment."
* * *
"So Evan wasn't kidding about you being a lawyer?" Steffi asked a short while later, when Evan led her into Mark's office.
Evan parked Olivia's stroller next to the bookcases and saw Steffi glance around the office's interior with some skepticism.
"Nope. No joke." Mark jerked his thumb at the framed diploma hanging on the wall above the printer.
"I passed the bar, and everything," he said. "So why don't you and Evan take a seat, and I'll see if I can offer you some advice."
"How much is this going to cost?" Steffi asked warily.
She shot Evan a worried glance, and he gave her a reassuring nod.
"Don't worry, I'll give you the family discount." Mark smiled. "Consultation is free, but if you want to thwart Aunt Margaret from possibly hiring me, you'll need to pay me a dollar."
"A dollar?" she asked skeptically. "Really?"
He nodded. "A dollar, and you're officially and legally my client. And if Aunt Margaret asks me to help her, I'll have to cite a conflict of interest and turn her down."
"But why would you pick me over her?" Steffi looked bewildered, as if she suspected that this was some kind of trick.
"Because my little brother asked me to help his m—uh, friend," Mark said.
Evan was on her side. And it felt good to know he could help her, even if she didn't yet completely understand the reason.
Steffi hastily dug in her purse and came up with a handful of bills. She offered Mark a five-dollar bill. "I don't have any singles. Is this okay?"
He chuckled and took it, tucking it away in the top drawer of his desk. "All right, you're officially my client now, Ms. Tristan. Why don't you tell me what happened with Margaret Swanson?"
When Steffi had finished telling him about her disastrous lunch, Mark leaned back in his chair.
Evan fumed silently at his aunt. The whole family knew that she was touchy when it came to Ordinaries, and everything about this situation was guaranteed to provoke her.
"Before they left on their trip, did your sister and brother-in-law fill out any paperwork establishing you as Olivia's legal guardian?" asked Mark.
"No, I was just supposed to take care of her for a few weeks, while they were on the dig," Steffi answered. "The only paperwork I have is a letter authorizing me to make decisions about Olivia's medical treatment if she gets sick."
Mark sighed. "How about a will? Do you know if they had a will?"
Steffi shook her head. "I don't think so. They mentioned that they were going to see a lawyer when they returned from the dig." She bit her lip, looking seriously worried now. "Is that…bad?"
Mark pursed his lips. "Well, without a will or guardianship documents, if Aunt Margaret does pursue legal action, the court will appoint a guardian ad litem to look out for Olivia's best interests. And jurisdiction will be a thorny issue, with Patrick and Jessica residents of Alaska, you a California resident, and Margaret an Idaho resident. If the case is heard here, it may come down to a judge having to decide whether a single, childless woman from out-of-state with a busy career will make a better parent for Olivia than a mature, wealthy grandmother with a large support system of relatives who's also a lifelong resident of this county and a member of one of its oldest families."
That's what I was afraid of, Evan thought. The Swansons had a lot of influence in this area.
"Are you saying I don't have a chance? That they'll take Olivia away from me because I'm not married?" The distress in Steffi's tone made Evan feel edgy.
"Well…," Mark hedged.
"But Margaret isn't the only one with a support network!" Steffi protested. "I have one too—my parents live near me in the Bay Area, and my boss lets me work from home whenever I need to. And I have a really good job. I could hire a nanny!"
She can't leave! Evan thought with a spurt of concealed panic. He reached for her, took her hand, and squeezed lightly.
Mark shook his head. "No, it's not hopeless. What I'm saying is that if this goes to court, it's going to be messy, long, and expensive for everyone involved."<
br />
"So what do we do about it?" Evan demanded. How do I fix this for my mate?
How do I fix this for myself?
"Well, we could try to find a way to settle this out of court," Mark said. "Find some sort of compromise that would be acceptable to you, Steffi, and to Aunt Margaret."
"What kind of compromise?" Steffi asked, eagerly, and Evan saw the hope shining in her face.
Mark looked at Evan before answering her. "Would you consider relocating from California to Bearpaw Ridge? If you were living here and agreed to a regular visitation schedule, maybe Aunt Margaret would be willing to let you keep custody of Olivia."
Yes! Evan realized his big brother really was trying to look out for him.
And now he had a decision to make…a decision that might not only offer an addition to the deal that Aunt Margaret might accept but also one that would keep Steffi here and close to him.
But there was a price. Evan would have to do the one thing he'd sworn never to do.
He took a deep breath to center himself. His heart was hammering in his ears. Please, let this work!
Then he said, "What if Steffi married me?"
Mark and Steffi both looked at him, disbelief and shock written across their faces.
"Look," Evan said. "It makes sense. If Steffi marries me, then she'll officially become a Swanson. Part of the family. And I'm sure it would put Margaret's fears to rest about losing her grandchild to some stranger—some Ordinary stranger—in California. And Olivia would have two parents, which would make a judge happy. And she'd be raised by people from both sides of her family."
"You…want to marry me?" Steffi's face had lost all color. Her makeup suddenly stood out starkly against her colorless complexion
"I do." Should I get down on my knee and propose to her?
It wasn't as though he weren't already committed to her as her mate. The problem was that she wasn't committed to him in the same way. A wedding ceremony would provide that commitment.
Strangely, though, despite his previous revulsion at the thought of being trapped in a relationship, he didn't feel trapped now. Just terrified that she would turn him down and flee back to California.
Her color returned as the moment of shock passed.
Ignite: A Werebear + BBW Paranormal Romance (Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters Book 3) Page 16