by Layla Silver
Chapter 14 - Angie
Angie and Josh sat on the wooden porch swing on the deck of what she presumed was the house Josh had been building with his bare hands. The house itself was still unfinished, but it was beautifully designed, a future family home, not a bachelor pad. Not only did it look great, but the view was fantastic. The swing overlooked most of the ranch and its rolling hills, fields, and forests, the sun lowering toward the horizon in the distance.
She sat on one end, him on the other. Angie wanted to sit close to him, to comfort him and hold him close. He’d saved her and Emma from TK. Who would have thought that bastard was a Wolf shifter? Angie shivered at the thought, knowing full well that things could have ended up much, much worse if Josh hadn't shown up at the right moment. If TK was a wolf, then he could have easily killed her and Emma and blamed it on a wild animal, or forced her to do other terrible things, as he’d suggested last time he'd shown up at her house.
“Who was that guy?” Josh finally asked.
“He … it’s a long story, Josh,” Angie said.
“I’ve got time.”
“I didn’t know he was a shifter,” she said first, then glanced at Josh. He seemed to relax a little. “He’s my mother’s loan shark. She … she accumulated a lot of debt when I was a kid, trying to take care of us. He’s been harassing me for money ever since I turned nineteen, claiming that we still owe him rent on the money my mother borrowed.”
Josh nodded, and they both watched as the sky began to change from the purest blues to a mixture of purples and golds. Greg shouted something in the distance, which was followed by the sound of Emma's loud giggles. Angie and Josh both smiled while they watched the pair run around in circles and roll in the grass together.
"Josh ... I don't know how to tell you how sorry I am," Angie finally said. She didn't look at him, but kept her gaze on Emma, or else she might start crying.
"You don't have to apologize to me, Angie, I know ... I know you kept the truth from me because you thought it was the right thing to do for you and her," he said. He peeled the jacket from his arm, wincing as he did. "I was upset when I found out that way, by accident, and not from you directly. But after I thought about it ... I realized you probably had a good reason. So I just want to understand, Angie, why ... why, after everything, after the last few weeks, you still kept it from me."
Angie's palms were sweaty with her nervousness, and she wiped them on her leggings to calm herself. She was surprised that he wasn't mad. He'd risked his life to keep TK away ... If Josh could do all that and still sit down with her and ask her to explain herself, then they might still have a chance.
She sighed and braced herself to explain everything. "I thought there was something ... different about you after that first night we spent together. You weren't like other guys. And didn't seem like the asshole everyone described you as. But I figured that was somehow part of your charm. You managed to trick so many other girls into thinking they were special to you, so it didn't seem like a stretch for me to believe that, too, after being with you. Only I didn't want to end up like all those other women, desperate and begging for your attention. So as soon as I decided that I wasn't going to fall for it, I burned your phone number. I was never going to talk to you again." Angie paused, taking a deep breath. "Then, a little over a month later, I realized I was pregnant."
Josh was looking at her, and Angie finally found the courage to meet his eyes. Their deep green was filled with so many confusing emotions that Angie couldn’t look at them for long. Hers brimmed with tears, and she sniffled, trying to keep them in, at least until she was done explaining. "Because I thought you were just a womanizer ... I didn't think you'd want anything to do with the child. And after my dad ... he ran off on my mother and me, too, so I worried there wasn’t much of a chance with you. To stick around, I mean, if you even believed Emma was yours. Still, I tried to get in touch with you, but no one knew where you were, or even your last name or where I could find you. You were just gone."
A slight breeze shifted Angie's hair into her face, and she pushed it behind her ears. A little further down the hill, Greg and Emma were still playing, and she tore her gaze away from Josh to watch them.
"Angie ... I'm so sorry. If I'd known, I would have ... I wouldn't have left you alone. I looked for you, too, once I realized you were special. I tried to contact you for a month. But I couldn’t find you, and with you gone, the place just didn’t hold any allure to me anymore, so I left and went home. I should have stayed longer, should have looked for you longer," he said.
"I'm sorry, too," she said, closing her eyes. "If I knew then what I knew now, I would have told you as soon as I found you again. You've changed, Josh ... you would have been a great father to Emma. I hope you're ... that even though you lost her first years, you're still willing to be a father to her."
Josh was silent for a long time. Emma shrieked with joy in the field, then lay down with Greg in the grass, and Angie finally braved looking at Josh again.
"I understand, Angie. I was a jerk—a typical bad boy. I never gave you any reason to think I might have wanted you around, let alone a baby," he said. "If I could, I'd take it all back, make it so it was just you." Josh sighed, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment before he looked at her again. "But ... Angie, I changed because of you. I never realized until you walked into the shop two years later ... I'm not going to walk out on you and Emma ever again.” He cleared his throat, his eyes boring into hers. “Angie, you're my mate.”
Angie's heart skipped a beat. So at the restaurant, when he was talking about mates ... he really had been thinking about her. What was she supposed to say to that? Wasn’t that a big deal for shifters? Could she even say no if she wanted to?
But she didn’t want to say no to him ever again …
"I know it's a lot, Angie," he said, getting to his feet. "And I'm not going to pressure you into anything. If you just want me to stay around as her dad, and not have anything more between us, I understand."
She jumped to her feet. "I didn't say that—"
"Of course you didn't," he said, giving her a lopsided smile that made her heart squeeze. The way he looked at her ... "But I think it's the kind of thing you need to think about. Deciding to be my mate, you can't take that back. Just know that I'll be here for you and Emma, no matter what. You shouldn’t just think about what I want; you should think about what’s best for you."
Angie cleared the distance between them, wrapping her arms around Josh's neck. He winced in pain but wrapped his arms around her waist anyway. She probably had blood all over her shirt, but she didn't care. She leaned in, pressed her lips to his ear, and whispered: "I know what's best for me. You are."
Then she kissed him. Josh's hands tightened on her waist, and he held her close, his hands like firebolts on her body, his lips a thunder strike coursing through her. The smell of him, the feel of him, it all felt right. He was exactly what she needed, and she wasn't going to let him go ever again.
He pulled away from her, touching his nose to hers for a moment before taking her hand in his and pulling her toward the steps down the porch and toward Greg and Emma.
"Come on," Josh said. "I think you'd better introduce me to our daughter."
Chapter 15 - Josh
The truck rattled a bit as Josh turned on the highway toward the ranch. Even though he didn’t mind driving back and forth between the ranch and Angie’s place in town, he couldn't help but be happy that this was the last time. Today, Angie and Emma were moving in with him. The last of her moving boxes were loaded into the back, and once he’d arrive at the ranch, they'd officially be living with him.
At first, Josh hadn't been sure how long Angie would need before she decided she was ready for the move. But over the past week, they'd spent more and more time together, and it became increasingly clear that they couldn't be apart for long. Even more important, though, was how well he and Emma got along. She always wanted him to play with her and Beary, and sh
e loved running free on the ranch in her Bear form. The three of them were a perfect fit.
His heart swelled when he turned past the auto shop and deeper into the property. Angie would be waiting for him.
After they’d made the decision to move in together, Josh had approached Kyle, their unofficial Alpha, and asked him if Angie and Emma could come and live on the ranch with him. Become part of the clan. Kyle had embraced him and congratulated him on finding his mate and said that, of course, Angie and Emma were more than welcome on the ranch. Josh couldn’t be happier than to know that Angie and Emma were now going to be part of the clan.
Josh's house crested the hill. He'd made the last finishing touches only a couple of days ago, shortly after asking Kyle if Angie and Emma could move in. From the outside, the house looked like a classic log cabin, but it was modern on the inside with the cozy touches of a cabin someone might find in the middle of the woods.
He turned into his private parking lot and pulled to a stop. The front door opened, and Angie stepped out, her black hair tied into a messy bun. She wore black yoga pants and a plain gray t-shirt today, both stained with dust, dirt, and sweat. But she was beautiful no matter how she looked.
Josh hopped out of the truck, leaving her boxes inside for the meantime. He found Angie's embrace and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning in to kiss her gently. Even the light peck ignited his desire for her, but they were both filthy and had to finish the moving.
"Been cleaning?" Josh said, caressing her cheek.
She laughed. "You said the house was ready! But it's a mess. There's dust from the drywall and wood everywhere. It would've driven me insane if I hadn't started cleaning it up."
"Hmm, guess I forgot about that. I was just happy when I was done with the finishing touches."
"Oh, don't worry about it." She kissed him again, pulling him closer. "Building the house ... that was an amazing accomplishment. Let me handle making the rest of it look nice."
Every time Josh looked at her, he couldn't help but love her more. Everything she said, everything she did ... she was perfect in every way. Perfect for him.
With his love for her came the desire to protect her and Emma no matter what. And ever since that loan shark, TK, came around to threaten them, Josh had been on full alert, keeping them away from any potential danger. It was part of why he opted to go into town and collect her things instead of them going together.
"You haven't heard from that TK guy again, have you?" Josh said, thinking out loud.
Angie shook her head. "He used to text me multiple times a day. But ever since you fought him, he's been silent."
"Good."
The threats had worked, then. Hopefully, they wouldn't see him around again.
Angie leaned in to kiss him again, this time deeper, more passionately. A low growl escaped Josh's throat without him noticing it, but Angie giggled and kissed him again.
"Say ..." Angie bit her lip. "Emma is at my mother's until tomorrow morning ..."
It didn't take much for Josh to pick up the hint. He grinned and scooped her into his arms, and she wrapped hers around his neck. The Bear in him wanted to take her to the bedroom and fall with her into the bed, but Josh had other plans.
He kissed her neck, enjoying the taste of salt on her skin, her caramel scent. He fell into the porch swing he'd set up, holding Angie close to him. For a moment, they just gazed into each other's eyes, though he was amused by the subtle confusion in her expression. She'd thought they would go straight to bed, too.
"Angie ..." he said. She blinked up at him expectantly. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said.
Josh leaned in to kiss her again, holding her face in his hands. Their breaths mingled together when he broke his lips away from hers. "Then will you be my mate? Officially?"
"Of course, I will. I wouldn't want anything else."
He grinned and nuzzled her neck, taking in her scent all over again. They kissed beneath the setting sun, painted in rays of gold and pink.
His mate. His heart was so full it could burst.
THE END
Hi lovely! Thanks so much for reading Angie and Josh’ story. I hope you enjoyed it. Would you like to read another book in my “Werebear Ranch” series and read Greg and Christine’s story?
Read book 2 of the “Werebear Ranch” Series:
The Bear’s Fake Fiancée
(Release date April 22nd – on pre-order now)
Ugh, this so isn’t happening.
I just met the most annoying man ever.
Annoyingly cocky, annoyingly protective, and annoyingly… gorgeous.
And my entire business depends on him.
Every time I’m around him, I seem to lose control of the situation.
I keep picturing us in compromising positions.
Which I’m seriously not interested in.
Because I can’t stand him. Honestly.
I’m a dating coach. I mean, I know what my perfect man is supposed to be like.
Certainly not like him.
My perfect man is not a player and doesn’t have this wild, feral look in his eyes.
And he certainly doesn’t have that primal, over-protective thing going on.
Just my luck that we have to pretend to be a couple at this event that I have to go to.
Just my luck that his sculpted body sends coils of hot magma slithering through me.
Just my luck that he has me to a point where my knees turn to jelly the minute I see him.
That if he pushed me against a wall and made out with me right now, I’d let him.
What the hell is wrong with me?
It takes more than hard abs, powerful arms, and that musky scent to win me over.
So it’s a good thing that my mind’s made up.
Like I said, I’m not interested. It’s just not happening.
And that’s a promise.
Pre-order “The Bear’s Fake Fiancée” now
About the Author
Hi there! I’m Layla Silver, and I’m so happy to see you here :) I’m a mom of three adorable kids and after all these years, still wildly in love with my awesome and hard-working husband. I LOVE to write about hot shifters, whether Wolves, Bears, or Dragons, who are looking for their mates and will do anything to protect them no matter what comes their way. When I’m not writing or spending time with my family (which is pretty rare, but I’m not complaining!), I like to be in the mountains chasing paranormal dreams.
Check out my author page on Amazon and click “Follow” to get updates on new releases.
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Books by Layla Silver
“Werebear Ranch” Series
Close your eyes for just a second and imagine yourself at a ranch with a bunch of very bad, very wild bears who are willing to bring down the world to protect their mates. You’ve just arrived at Werebear Ranch, a paranormal romance series where your baddest shifter dreams become reality…
All stories are stand alone with a guaranteed HEA.
The Bear’s Secret Baby
The Bear’s Fake Fiancée
* * *
“Shifter Surrogate Agency” Series
What's a very hot shifter to do if he hasn't found his mate yet but can't wait to have a baby? Go to the Shifter Surrogate Agency of course, where he might just get more than he bargained for...
Each book in the series is a standalone story with a guaranteed HEA.
The Wolf’s Surrogate
The Bear’s Surrogate
The Alpha’s Surrogate
The Lion’ Surrogate
The Dragon’s Surrogate
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