by Sophie Stern
“They did,” Heather added helpfully, leaning her head on Bella’s shoulder. Why was everyone touching her? She suddenly felt very hot, almost too hot. Was it hot in the church? Was this part of the mating craze? Why was everyone touching her?
And why wasn’t it Matthew?
“Whew, damn!” Heather sat back up and smirked at Bella. “Judith, you need to stop touching her, too.”
“Huh? Why?” Judith lifted her hand from Bella’s leg. Bella just blushed.
“She’s got it bad, girl, and I have the feeling that every little touch is going to send this shifter over the edge.”
“Hey!” Bella protested. “It’s not that bad.”
“Sweetie, even Aunt Amanda can smell you, and she’s barely a shifter,” Heather nodded her head toward the front of the church where Mary’s grumpy old aunt was staring at them. Glowering was more like it, really. Her gaze was narrowed at Bella, as if she could tell exactly who was causing the problem.
Bella slumped down in the pew. Leave it to Aunt Amanda to know Bella was horny at church.
Damn it.
Judith just chuckled.
“So, are you going to invite this mate of yours to Mary’s bachelorette party or what?”
“What?” Bella squeaked. She couldn’t invite Matthew to the party!
“I like it,” Heather said, considering the idea. “We’re going to a male revue. Maybe he’ll do his own little dance for you.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Just then, cheers sounded from the front of the church and Bella looked up just in time to see Brent kissing Mary much harder than she would have expected from a wedding-day kiss. Was there tongue in that kiss? She chuckled as Aunt Amanda blushed and began to fan herself with a piece of paper.
Goodness.
She really wasn’t ready for this whole “mating” thing.
**
Brent wasn’t ready to think of his little sister having a mate, but when Heather pulled him aside and told him the big news, he wasn’t shocked.
Bella was a sweet girl and she’d make her mate very happy, but Brent still wanted to meet the guy, wanted to vet him. He wanted to make sure this shifter was good enough for his little sister. Yeah, even though they were twins, he was the older one, and he never let her forget it.
It was the day before his wedding to the most perfect girl in the world, but now Brent had something else to worry about: his kid sister.
Bella had been struggling for a long time. Was a mate really what she needed right now? Part of Brent worried about the timing. Maybe Bella should wait for awhile before jumping into a relationship. After all, she didn’t even have a job yet. Maybe she should join the Air Force, like him, and get some stability in her life.
Maybe she should-
“You’re worried,” Mary said, suddenly. She placed her hand on Brent’s arm and looked up at him. “Is it about the wedding?” Her voice was soft, but Brent didn’t miss the hint of concern in her voice.
“No, it’s nothing like that,” he said. “Heather told me Bella found her mate last night.”
Mary squealed.
Loudly.
“That’s wonderful news!” She said. “Do your parents know?” She looked around, trying to find them.
“No,” Brent grabbed Mary’s waist and pulled her in close. “And they aren’t going to know.”
“What?” Mary looked confused. “Why not?”
“Because they’ll want her to get married right away, like we are.”
Mary glared at Brent. “And that’s a problem?”
“She’s not you, Mary. She’s not ready yet.”
“And you think that’s your job, Mr. Big Brother? You think it’s your responsibility to tell your little sister she can or cannot marry the mate of her choosing?”
Brent sighed. Crap. Just what he needed the day before his wedding: bride drama. Thanks a lot, little sister. Now he not only had to deal with solving Bella’s problems, but he had to deal with his feisty mate, too.
“Brent, I know Bella is important to you,” Mary began. She ran her hands up and down his big, broad chest. She was trying to calm him down, but the only thing that was going to do was get him excited. And he really, really didn’t need to be getting excited right now.
“But you have to let her live her own life,” Mary continued, still touching his chest. Brent growled a little, but Mary just laughed. Oh, his mate knew just how to play him. She would get him all riled up, then he’d agree to anything she said.
Even when it was promising not to interfere in his sister’s love life.
“She needs,” he started to say, but Mary silenced him with a kiss.
“She needs to be her own woman,” Mary finished the sentence for him. “Let her grow up a little, okay? She’s been in your shadow her whole life, Airman Polar Bear.”
Brent wrapped his arms around Mary and kissed her. She was right, but that didn’t make his decision any easier. He needed to figure out a way to help Bella make the right choice without overwhelming her, without pushing her away.
Fortunately, he couldn’t make any decisions tonight. It was late and his wedding was just a day away.
“Are you ready for your bachelorette party, Future Mrs. Taylor?”
“Oh, I think I am, Future Mr. Mary.”
Brent kissed his wife, his mate, his everything. He kissed her like he’d never let her go because the truth was that Mary had saved him from misery, from boredom, from going crazy. She had made his life wonderful and he planned to spend the rest of his making it up to her.
8.
Bella sipped her drink and watched the dancers gyrate on stage. There really wasn’t a better word to describe what the barely-legal men were doing up on stage. Bella was only 23, but she bet she had a full five years on the dancers. Seriously, where did they find these guys?
She adjusted her much-too-low-cut dress and stared at her phone. She should text Matthew. She should. He was her mate, after all. After hearing story after story from Heather and Judith all evening, Bella had all but accepted it.
She might not be the best mate. She might struggle to fit in. She might let him down sometimes, but he would be patient with her. She knew that much. The mating bond was strong. It was supposed to help you through the hardest of times. Some shifters never found their mates, but still managed to lead happy, comfortable lives. After meeting Matthew, though, Bella wondered how she had made it so long without him.
She’d have to figure out a way to tell her parents, but yeah, Matthew was her bear. He was fantastic.
Bella drank some more vodka and pulled out her phone. She sent him a silly text before shoving her phone back in her purse. It was only 11 and already, things were getting a bit crazy. Three men were dancing on the main stage. They had started out in construction worker costumes, but were down to booty shorts. Or something. She didn’t know the real name, but there wasn’t a lot of fabric covering anything.
The center of the room was filled with tables of women going crazy. Bella smirked as she stirred her drink idly with a finger. She had been screwed so hard and well that afternoon that she was still sore. She wondered how many of these women would try to pick up one of the dancers. Would any of the women try to take one home? Would the guys go with them?
Heather, Judith, Mary, and Mary’s BFF Amy were all cheering and hollering. Mary squealed as she was pulled on stage for a special “bridal” dance that made even Bella blush, and not a lot made her blush. Mary sat in a chair in the center of the stage while the three men danced on and around her. At one point, the rest of their clothing disappeared and Bella downed her drink.
“Having fun?” A voice said from beside her. Goosebumps covered her arms as she looked up and saw him. Matthew.
“Now I am,” she grinned. Bella grabbed his shirt and yanked him down, kissing him.
“Gross!” Amy snorted from beside her. “Get a room, you guys. And move out of the way, I’m trying to watch.”
“What
are you doing here?” Bella asked softly as Matthew sat next to her and slid an arm around her shoulder.
“Brent decided to haul his bride off early,” Matthew chuckled. Brent was on stage now, dancing his way over to Mary. He was being a great sport about the whole thing. He’d even taken off his shirt and his-
“Okay, get me out of here before I see more than I want to,” she muttered, closing her eyes before her twin made a really, really graphic decision.
“With pleasure,” Matthew swept her into his arms and hauled her out of the building.
Bella leaned her head against his chest, happy and content.
**
“Marry me,” Matthew said. He had asked her several times. He wanted her to say yes. Something was holding her back and he wanted Bella to tell him. She could be shy and coy all she wanted when they were in public, but when it was just them, he wanted her to be open, to be honest.
“I want to,” she said, but her voice trailed off. They were sitting in his truck in the parking lot outside of the strip club. The neon flashing lights lit up the night sky.
“But?” He pressed.
“I don’t even have a job, Matt,” Bella cringed. She looked embarrassed and ashamed. “How am I going to be a good mate to you if I don’t even have a job?”
He lifted her chin with his finger. “Is that what you’ve been so worried about?”
She nodded.
“Baby, I happen to have a very good job.”
She smiled at him.
“I know you do, but I still want to work. I spent so much time in school that I want to do something with my degree. I want to give something back to the community. I want to work with kids.”
“Then I suppose it’s a good thing Heather and Judith are planning to offer you a position at the daycare center on base.”
“What?” Bella shrieked, and Matthew wished he had covered his ears. “What? Are you serious? What!”
She was so excited that she started kissing at him. Then she was even more excited because she was kissing him and even though she hadn’t really liked the dancers, she kind of had a little bit, and she was so wet and achy and horny that she just wanted him.
“Tell me you’ll marry me,” Matthew insisted.
“I’ll marry you, bear,” she said, cupping his face in her hands. Was this real? It couldn’t be, but it felt so perfect. “But a tiny wedding,” she kissed him softly. “Just us. Nothing fancy.”
“Let’s go tomorrow,” he said. “We can go to the courthouse. We can do it quick and fast before we have to be at the church.”
Bella giggled. She wouldn’t steal her twin’s limelight, wouldn’t even tell her brother she’d gotten married, but she loved that she would get to celebrate her anniversary on the same day as her twin. Bella and Brent had been so close growing up together. They’d been the best of friends until he left home and even though they were so different now, she would never stop thinking of him as her best pal.
“Isn’t there a waiting period for the marriage license?” She asked, suddenly remembering she had heard something about that.
“Not in Colorado,” Matthew smiled. “I made some phone calls today at work.”
She laughed and kissed him again.
Tomorrow she was going to be Mrs. Matthew Reese.
9.
Brent had never felt as nervous as he did standing at the front of the church. He knew he was making the right choice. He was marrying his mate. Mary was everything to him. Though they’d had a whirlwind romance, he wouldn’t have changed it for the world. She was perfect.
They had met when she ran to Ryan for help. Ryan, her brother, happened to be Brent’s roommate at the time. Sporting a black eye and a sassy attitude, she had swept him off his feet.
She was perfect.
The doors to the church opened and all eyes turned to watch the bridesmaids make their way down the aisle. Bella sported an extra twinkle in her eye, and Brent wondered if it was about this mate he’d heard so much about. He wondered who the guy was, but he’d have to worry about that later.
Mary was right: if he was good enough for Bella, he was good enough for Brent.
The music changed and everyone rose to watch Ava, Jake’s darling daughter, walk down the aisle. She sprinkled flowers as she made her way down the row, paving the path for Brent’s beautiful bride. Mary looked stunning when she entered the church. Brent didn’t know the name of her dress designer or what the style she’d chosen was called. He just knew she looked gorgeous. She looked lovely. And she was his beautiful princess to love and cherish.
She gripped her father’s arm as he made his way down the aisle. The poor man looked close to tears, but Brent was happy to realize they were happy tears. Yeah, good ol’ Dad was glad Mary was wedding her mate. Everyone was.
Brent looked around the church full of people. His friends, family members, and fellow airmen had all gathered to watch him marry his very best friend. He settled his eyes back on Mary and smiled.
It was the beginning of their new life together.
Nothing could describe how perfect he felt.
**
Bella stood at the front of the church and watched her brother say his vows. Brent was quiet, almost reverent throughout the ceremony.
Who was this guy and what had he done with her brother?
He had always been a bit of a goofball growing up, but something had changed. Mary had happened. Bella smiled as she watched the woman who would share her brother’s life tear up at his vows, his promises of love, his whispered words.
Mary said her vows next and it was all Bella could do not to stare at her own ring finger. She had tucked her tiny wedding ring into her bra for the ceremony. She didn’t want to accidentally distract Brent or Mary on their big day. Bella could wear her ring later, once she had announced her marriage. Today was about her brother and his bride.
She glanced toward the back of the church where her mate and new husband, Matthew, sat watching her, adoring her.
They had sneaked away in the early morning hours and exchanged vows at the courthouse. Their witnesses had been other airmen from his flight who owed him favors. They had been good sports, though, and Bella appreciated the fact that they had come to witness their nuptials.
And now it was Brent’s turn.
She looked back at her brother and her new sister-in-law as they kissed and walked back down the aisle. The whole church stood and clapped, happy, thrilled for the lucky couple.
No one was as lucky as Bella, though, and her heart soared.
**
The reception was held nearby in the ballroom of their hotel. Mary and Brent had both wanted to get married in a church, so the wedding had been held off-site. Bella was happy the reception was at the actual hotel, though. It would make sneaking up to her room after a few drinks that much easier.
It would make sneaking off with her new husband so much easier.
Bella promised to meet her brother and new sister-in-law there, but she had something to do first. After the bride and groom had hugged and kissed their friends and relatives, the happy couple got in the waiting limo and headed off to the reception. The rest of the crowd began to follow, but Bella hung back until she found Matthew.
He came up and hugged her, cupped her cheek.
“Mind if I kiss you, Mrs. Reese?”
“I would like that very much, Mr. Taylor.”
He chuckled, but kissed her softly. The world around her disappeared as she realized this was exactly where she wanted to be. Matthew made her feel alive in ways no one else ever had.
A gasp sounded and brought her back to reality. Bella turned to see Judith, Heather, and Amy snickering and staring. Amy was actually smirking. A lot.
“Hey,” Bella said, blushing. “So, I hear we’re going to be working together.”
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