He leaned forward and kissed her lips before murmuring, “I want to make babies with you. I want to raise babies with you.”
“Then I’ll ask for a transfer. When this is over, I’ll find a desk job. One where I can still do some real good. Not just push paper around.” She sighed contentedly. “I want to live a long and happy life with you and our children.”
“Is that my cue to make babies with you?” he asked hopefully.
“Yes, it is.” Joanna placed her hands on his hips and guided him as he nestled between her thighs. He rested his weight on one elbow as he slipped his fingers inside her, moving them in and out, making certain she was ready for him before he entered her.
She didn’t think there would ever be a time when she wasn’t ready for her mate. Making love to him was incredible. His tender touch, the feel of his lips on hers, each gentle caress was like a single moment of bliss. In his arms, she could escape the world.
In his arms, she didn’t want to escape the world. He grounded her.
Shawn flexed his hips forward and thrust into her. She gasped, her inner muscles tightening around him as he moved deeper and deeper, filling her, stretching her. Joanna cupped his face in her hands and kissed his lips, tasting him, savoring him, while her fingers probed every inch of his flesh, seeking out the most sensitive zones of his body.
He sighed when she ran her fingertips across his chest, gasped when her nails dug into his back as she urged him on. His muscles tensed as her hands caressed his toned butt and thighs. Each action caused a response. Each response was interpreted by her brain as causing pleasure or pain.
There is nothing wrong with a little pain. She gasped as Shawn rolled his tongue over her taut nipple and grazed his teeth over the sensitive flesh as if to prove this very point.
Excitement filled her and her need for release bloomed, bright and urgent in her mind. Joanna arched her back, pushing down with each thrust of Shawn’s hips. Matching him stroke for stroke as they raced together to their release.
Time fell away, it was as if they were stuck in a moment. A moment filled with pleasure. A moment they shared as mates.
Then she came, her inner muscles contracting around Shawn’s hard length. He exploded inside her, his hot seed filling her as he jerked into her. A low moan escaped his lips and his fingers gripped the bed covers as he cried out.
Joanna urged him on. She grazed his earlobe with her teeth before sucking the soft flesh into her mouth. Shawn tensed and bit down on his lower lip as she nipped the flesh before he slipped his hand under her and held her firmly in place while he ground his hips around and around, stretching her as he filled her with his essence.
Finally, he slumped forward. Her mate was spent, his orgasm fading.
Unlike their love.
Joanna contented herself with this absolute fact as they lay in each other’s arms until their breathing returned to normal and hunger called them back down to the kitchen.
Chapter Twenty-Three – Shawn
If only they had cleared up the whole mess surrounding Yvette and Jane, Shawn would be the happiest man alive.
He had a mate whom he adored.
And love, his cougar added.
And love, Shawn agreed. And a daughter he was so incredibly proud of and whom he loved so much it hurt inside.
And our mate wants to have lots and lots of babies with us, his cougar reminded him.
As if I could forget. And then there was the casserole. It was tasty and delicious, made even more so as he shared it with his mate.
His cougar chuckled. So easily pleased. A plate of food and you’re anyone’s.
No, I’ll only ever belong to my mate. Shawn watched Joanna as she ate her food.
“You’re staring.” Joanna looked up through her eyelashes as she ate.
“I like watching you.” He grinned as she shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t help myself.”
“I guess I’ll let you off since I know that feeling.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “Do you think this will wear off?” She waved her fork back and forth between them. “Or do you think we’ll be like lovelorn fools for the rest of our lives?”
“I think it’ll wear off. Or we’ll just get used to it.” He shrugged and ate another forkful of food before adding, “I honestly could live like this for the rest of my life.”
“It wouldn’t be too bad,” she conceded. “But we both have jobs. Jobs where people depend on us. How do we cope with this need to be together?”
“It’s that strong for you?” he asked innocently.
“Oh, funny. If we’re going to be like that then I should marry Joey for his casserole.” She looked up and turned to face the door.
“Maybe you can tell him that now.” Shawn widened his eyes in challenge as he got up from the kitchen table and went to the front door. As he opened it, Jane and Joey were walking up the driveway to the house. “Hey there. Good hike?”
“It sure was,” Joey replied.
“I got to ride on Joey’s back.” Jane entered the house and tore off her coat and boots, her eyes flashed with excitement as she entered the kitchen. “Did you get me a gift?”
Shawn followed Jane into the kitchen and caught sight of Joanna’s expression. “Yes, we did.”
“We did?” Joanna asked in surprise.
“We did.” Shawn winked at his mate as he went to the backpacks they’d dropped on the floor when they first arrived home. They were still in the same place, forgotten as the two mates had gone upstairs to make love. “Here.”
“What is it?” Jane asked as she accepted the brown paper bag from her dad.
“You have to open it and see.” He lifted her into his arms and rested his back against the counter. Jane was getting bigger every day, but she would always be his little girl.
“Okay.” Jane carefully opened the brown bag and peered inside. Sliding her hand in, she pulled out a fridge magnet of a wolf in the snow. “I love it!”
“Can I see?” Joanna asked.
“Sure.” Jane wriggled out of Shawn’s arms and crossed the kitchen to Joanna. “See. I like wolves.”
“I like wolves, too,” Joanna told Shawn’s daughter.
“Joanna is a wolf shifter,” Shawn came to join them. “I saw her for the first time while we were away and then I saw this in one of the local stores and it reminded me of her.”
“You look like this?” Jane couldn’t hide her excitement.
“Wow, you’re on a roll,” Joey said. “Your daughter prefers my cooking and company and your mate’s other side.”
“But she loves me best, don’t you, sweetheart?” Did he really sound that pathetic?
“I do.” Jane launched herself at Shawn and wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her back into his arms. “You make the best macaroni and cheese. You tell the best bedtime stories.”
“Hey, I thought you liked my story last night,” Joey complained.
“I did. But Dad does the voices better.” She giggled and covered her mouth at Joey’s mock shock.
“I’m back at number one.” Shawn nodded toward Joey.
“Okay.” Joey held his hands up. “I concede defeat.”
“You’re so funny.” Jane giggled at Joey.
“If only I could find my mate and make her laugh,” Joey replied. Then he clapped his hands together. “Okay, if you’re all good here, I should get going. I’m thinking of visiting the animal rescue center and getting myself a dog or a cat. You know, a little furry friend who will love me in my sad lonely days.”
“A dog!” Jane’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I always wanted a puppy.”
“Now who is your favorite?” Joey asked as he backed out of the kitchen.
“Please, can I come with you when you go to the animal rescue center?” Jane asked.
“That is not my decision,” Joey replied, casting an apologetic look Shawn’s way. He’d opened up a whole can of worms and he knew it.
Unintentionally, Shawn’s coug
ar reminded him.
I know. And Jane has been asking for a pet for a long time.
A cat, though, his cougar insisted. No dogs. Don’t we have a no-dog rule?
We probably had a no-wolf rule, too, but that’s gone now, Shawn laughed at his cougar’s expression.
Life was good and he intended for it to stay that way. The shadow of Jane’s real mother being located still followed him, but he wasn’t going to let that spoil his life with Jane and Joanna.
“We’ll all sit down and talk about it,” Shawn said.
“We will?” Jane asked.
“Yes, this will have to be a family vote.” He reached for Joanna’s hand. “If that’s okay with you?”
“Sure, although I’ve always thought about getting a dog but never had the time. Police detective work means odd hours and never knowing when you might be late home. But between the three of us, we could organize a schedule to feed and walk a dog.”
“I’m outnumbered,” Shawn was ready to concede defeat. It would be nice for them to all have a pet to care for. It would help them bond as a family.
“You’d better make sure you get a male dog,” Joey advised, “or you will be well and truly outnumbered.”
“Boys against girls,” Jane said.
“You do not stand a chance,” Joanna told him.
“She’s right,” Joey laughed. “You do not stand a chance.”
“You know what’s funny?” Shawn asked as he slipped his arm around his mate and his daughter.
“You don’t care one bit.” Joey’s expression faltered and his cheeks flushed pink and Shawn swore his bottom lip trembled before he laughed and turned away. “I envy you.” He headed toward the front door.
Shawn passed Jane to Joanna. “I’ll just see him out.”
Joanna nodded, her eyes misted with tears. She’d seen it, too. Probably because she’d experienced the same kind of disappointment and longing herself before they’d met. As an older shifter, they’d both witnessed their friends and family meeting their mates. They’d smiled, said they were happy, and they were. No denying it. Each and every time Shawn had witnessed mates meeting and falling in love, he’d been filled with happiness. But with that happiness came a sense of longing, deep and wide, that could never be filled by anything other than their mate.
“Are you okay?” Shawn asked as they reached the front door.
“Yeah, sure. Just tired. Being a parent even for a couple of days is tiring.” He grinned, his earlier sadness gone.
Or well hidden, his cougar said.
“Thanks for helping me out.” A small smile twitched at the corner of his lips. “I’m sorry I didn’t buy you a fridge magnet, too.”
Joey laughed, a proper, found-it-funny laugh. “I am disappointed.”
“You hide it well.” Shawn fixed his friend with a knowing look. “It’ll happen for you, Joey.”
“The fridge magnet?” The humor slipped from his face. “I don’t know. Sometimes I think I’m destined to be lonely my whole life.”
“I don’t think anyone is destined to be lonely. And I certainly don’t think you are.” He patted Joey on the arm, feeling lame that there was nothing he could do to help him out. “You’re a good man and a good friend. And one day you’ll make a great mate. And a great father.”
“Yeah, thanks.” He raised his hand. “I should get going. I have an empty house to get back to.”
“I thought you were getting a dog?” Shawn called after him. “Or was that for my benefit so I’d have to get one for Jane?”
“You know me too well.” Joey laughed as he walked across the street to his truck. “Go back inside, Shawn. They’re waiting for you.”
Shawn waved as Joey yanked the truck door open and got inside. His heart ached for his friend. Shawn wanted Joey to feel the same way he felt for Joanna. He wanted him to know what it was really like to be a father. He was so good with Jane there was no question he would make a wonderful father.
“You can’t fix people’s lives for them,” Joanna said as he entered the kitchen.
“I know.” He gave a short laugh.
“Dad’s good at fixing people,” Jane insisted as she sat down at the table with a glass of milk and a couple of cookies.
“I can fix people’s bodies most of the time,” Shawn said. “But I can’t magic a mate up for Joey. I can’t give him a child to raise.”
“Why not?” Jane asked.
“That’s not how these things work,” Shawn explained gently.
“But I was given to you.” Jane dipped her cookie in her glass of milk and ate it thoughtfully. “Why can’t we get a baby for Joey?”
“Because…” Shawn looked at Joanna for help.
“You being adopted by your dad was special,” Joanna said gently. “Like a shooting star, it was unpredictable magic.”
“Like shifters and their mates?” Jane asked.
“Yes, just like your dad and I are mates and fate brought us together…” Joanna looked at Shawn as if checking that it was okay to carry on.
“You and I were fated to be together, too,” Shawn finished with a grateful nod at Joanna. He hadn’t thought about explaining it like that, but it made perfect sense to Jane.
As long as no one comes along and contradicts that, his cougar said, the fear that Jane might one day be taken from them obviously still on the feline’s mind.
If that happens, we’ll deal with it. We’ll find a way of explaining it, Shawn said.
“And now we’re a family.” Jane put her second cookie back on her plate and got up from her seat. “I like that.”
“We were always a family,” Shawn told her.
“I know, but with Joanna around, we can do fun stuff. You know, the girlie stuff you say you like doing but don’t really.” Jane spoke with the innocence of a child, not to wound him.
She’s just saying it like it is, his cougar said. No matter how hard you try to look happy, you do not like having your nails painted.
Shawn curled his fingers into his palms as he recalled the bright red nail polish Jane had painted on his nails.
And the mascara, his cougar reminded him.
Shawn had gone to the hospital the next day with black eyes. That stuff does not come off easily.
“I can see you’re having some uncomfortable memories there,” Joanna smothered a smile. “Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll get you some coffee? Or maybe you need something stronger.”
“No, coffee is just fine.” He hugged Jane. “You know I might not have enjoyed the makeovers and such, but I did enjoy spending time with you. I always enjoy spending time with you.”
“I know.” Jane took him by the hand and led him back to the table where they sat down next to each other. “Am I going to have a baby brother or sister?” She dunked her cookie in the milk and chewed on it while Shawn opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish.
“We might. We’d like to have a baby,” Joanna answered as she passed a steaming mug of fresh coffee to Shawn. “Wishing you’d gone for something stronger now?”
“Starting to,” he answered.
“I’d like a brother or sister. Or both. Sandra Davis has two brothers and two sisters. She complains about them all the time.” Jane chewed the last of her cookie thoughtfully. “I think she loves them all really.”
“Brothers and sisters like to argue. It’s a way of exploring how we feel.” Joanna sat down at the table and looked at Shawn and Jane, who were both staring at her. “What? It’s a fact. We explore our emotions in the safety of our families, we push boundaries…”
“No pushing boundaries.” Shawn wagged his finger.
“I promise not to.” Jane cracked a grin. “Not until I’m eleven at least.”
“Eleven.” Shawn nodded. “I’ll enjoy my quiet life while I can.”
Although, he suspected there was going to be little quiet in his life for the foreseeable future. Not with a wedding to plan and then hopefully a baby or two.
If we�
�re going to plan a wedding, we need a ring, his cougar told him.
Indeed, we do. Buying an engagement ring had just jumped to the top of his to-do list.
He wanted the world to know Joanna was his mate. That she was his and nothing would ever come between them.
Chapter Twenty-Four – Joanna
“You’re not going alone.” Shawn stood with his hands on his hips looking all protective and overbearing.
And incredibly sexy.
Joanna didn’t have time for sexy. “I have to go to work today. I’m going to check out the hotel on the way.”
“On the way?” Shawn held his hands out, palms face up, while his forehead creased in frustration. “It adds at least an extra hour on to your journey.”
“That’s why I’m leaving now.” Joanna kept her voice low. She didn’t want to wake Jane. Especially not to the sound of her dad arguing with his mate. In Jane’s world, two mates would always love each other and never disagree.
That’s kind of what we expected, too, her wolf told her.
Not helpful, Joanna replied.
“Joanna, please.” Shawn was hard to deny. But she couldn’t tell him she would stay home and stay safe.
“This is my job.” She went to him and placed her hand on his arm. With a gentle squeeze, she said, “I know what I’m doing. I just want to take a look at who is coming and going. Okay?”
Shawn’s jaw tightened as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her mouth. Joanna leaned into him, her body pressed against his. Heat flared inside her as tendrils of desire unfurled. It would be so easy to stay. So very easy to decide to keep Shawn happy and not cause him worry and stress.
“I’ll stay safe.” Joanna took a step back, tearing away from her mate. “I’ll call you after. So you know I’m okay.”
Shawn inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Her mouth curled up at one corner. “For caring?”
He gave a short laugh. “Something like that.”
She went to him and kissed his cheek. “I love that you care. I really do. It gives me the warm fuzzies.”
“But you are a grown woman. A professional who knows how to take care of herself.” Shawn tapped his head. “My cougar just gave me a good talking to.”
Shawn Spring Shifter Seasons Page 17