by V. Vaughn
"You do?"
"Of course. It means you'll make a great dad for our—" I slap my hand over my mouth, because it's way too early to be fantasizing out loud about our future.
He grins and grabs my shirt near my stomach to pull me close. "You see us having a family one day."
Since he's smiling and it's too late to pretend otherwise, I say, "Maybe."
Seth shakes his head as he grabs my hips. "I know it too, Nina. We're soul mates, because I've been in love with you since the first time we met."
"You—lo—you-you love me?" I think about how amazing our kisses are and the way my heart dances the entire time I'm with Seth. But love in just two days?
"I do, my little witch, and you love me."
My heart stops, because I think Seth might be right, and that scares me more than speaking in front of a group of people. "Is that how the soul-mate thing really works?"
He nods.
"Oh boy." I step back away from his touch.
"What's wrong?"
This isn't how things are supposed to go. I've done the research. I imagined I'd have a few practice relationships before I found the man I'd marry. I'm supposed to get a boyfriend and fall in love, and then we'd move past infatuation to comfortable. One day, the love fades or one of us wants to move on to someone else. This is too fast. "I'm not ready."
"That's okay. The beauty of soul mates is we have the rest of our lives together." Seth holds out his hand. "I can move as slowly as you need me to, Nina."
I gaze into his face and wonder how it is he knows what to say to me. Or why he's so willing to accept my fears as if they're no big deal. "Really? Like as slow as a snail slow?" I take his hand. "Because I have to tell you, I'm scared."
He squeezes my fingers tight. "You've got nothing to be afraid of. You've found someone who loves you unconditionally. Try to enjoy it."
I chuckle. "I am enjoying it." I glance around at our apples on the ground and think about baking with Seth, and I remember him mentioning cooking dinner for me with music and wine. I may be afraid of something serious, but I'm not afraid of being with Seth. I squat down to pick up fruit and ask, "What's for dinner?"
8
Jazz plays softly in the background as I stand in Seth's kitchen and swirl coconut milk into a curry sauce. His knife taps on a cutting board. The spicy scent in my sauté pan mixes with the aroma of cinnamon and apples baking. While we prepared the pie, Seth and I ran through the usual questions about each other's childhood, and now he's moved on to more serious topics. Like children.
"I definitely want to be a mother," I say. "I guess I imagine two or three kids."
"That's all?" Seth comes behind me and sprinkles scallion rings into my sauce.
"How many are you thinking?"
"I'd love a houseful."
I laugh because he came from a family with six kids, while I only have a much older brother. Seth moves over to lean against the counter and grabs his glass of wine.
"Just think of it like a pack of dogs. You could take them to the lake and throw the ball for them to retrieve."
"Right. Like that would go over well with other parents."
"Hey." Seth takes the spoon from my hand. "We could start a trend. Let them shift into cubs, since you'll be able to talk to them in their heads."
I reach for my wine as I wonder if I really can communicate with werebear. I decide to test it on Seth. As I swallow down a sip of wine, I smile to myself. "Kiss me."
He tilts his head for a moment before he breaks into a smile. "Happily," he says before his lips meet mine.
When we break apart, I ask, "You heard me?"
"Yeah. Sort of. It's not like when my alpha talks to me, though. That's pretty much like regular conversation in my mind. You are more subtle."
I snort, and wine spits out of my mouth. I swipe my hand across my chin to wipe it up. "I don't think anyone has ever used the word subtle to describe me."
"I'm serious." Seth rubs my cheek with his thumb. "It was like you suggested I kiss you."
"Huh." I'm curious if my form of talking to animals is limited to orders, so I try something else. "Braeburn apples are going to be an interesting flavor in the pie."
"That's true. They're almost citrus-like."
"Whoa. How did you get that?"
Seth shrugs. "I just knew what you were thinking." He grins at me with a twinkle in his eyes. "Maybe I can read your mind."
"Yeah?" I chuckle at him and scan his body with my gaze as I imagine what he'd look like naked. "What am I thinking now?" I don't send him a message, but I definitely pursue a fantasy of dragging my fingers over his muscular chest.
He taps his pursed lips with his finger as his brow knits. "You're hungry and wish I'd hurry up and plate dinner."
I laugh. "Sure. Let's go with that." It hits me how incredibly huge this is. The clan medicine woman can't communicate telepathically with even one werebear unless they're soul mates. "I can probably talk to your entire clan."
"Wow. Do you have any idea how powerful that makes you?" A cabinet clicks open, and he pulls out dishes. "Only alphas can do that." He winks at me. "You're my secret weapon."
Alpha-like powers? Oh god. My stomach knots up, because it's too much. The responsibility of it alone is not something a girl like me should have. There are so many ways I could screw things up.
As Seth plates up dinner, I top off our wine glasses.
"What's going on in that head of yours, Nina?" Seth asks as we walk toward the table.
"Nothing." Nothing I want to talk about. I decide to return to my original thoughts about what I'm really hungry for, and I scoop up a mouthful of chicken curry. "You got the hungry part right earlier." I give him what I hope comes across as a flirty wink as I put the fork in my mouth. The moment the food hits my tongue, a delicious sweet and spicy flavor makes me moan in pleasure.
"Sweet Jesus," mutters Seth as he gazes at me. I realize his eyes have darkened, and I gulp, because not only do I think he's turned on, but my insides are warming up with desire too. He inhales and blows out a slow breath. "You're going to make it hard to take this slow."
Any doubt I have that Seth is attracted to me disappears, because I don't need body-language coaching to understand that the way he just shifted in his chair had to do with the sexual electricity I feel buzzing in the air. He licks his lips and stares at me as if I'm the meal he wants to devour. And suddenly, I can't think about anything other than the way Seth's skin would feel under my fingers or imagine the weight of his body on mine. One of our passionate kisses comes to mind, and now my breathing becomes shallow. I set my fork down with a clatter and slide my hand across the table to him. "Seth."
He grabs my fingers so tightly it hurts a little. "Nina. I—"
I stand up so abruptly I knock over the chair, but both of us ignore it as it clatters on the floor. When Seth stands too, I grab at his shirt and launch myself at him. Our mouths meet in a kiss I think makes sparks fly, because it's seriously hot. I grab the hem of his shirt and lift it up, desperate to touch him.
He grabs at the cotton and yanks up, but because we don't break our kiss, we get tangled up in the fabric. The two of us bat at it before Seth finally pulls hard enough to rip the shirt.
My hands move along his back, and his muscles flex under my fingers as he moves us over toward the living room. My hip bumps a small table, and a vase crashes to the floor, but it doesn't faze either of us, and when we get to the couch, I let myself fall back on it. Because I'm holding on to Seth with a death grip, he falls with me and—"Ouch!" Stars float before my eyes, because our heads just smashed together so hard tears come.
"Oh my god. Nina, I'm so sorry." Seth looks at me with concern. "Are you okay?"
I nod and try to smile through the pounding in my head. "It was my fault for pulling you off balance. I'm going to kill you if we keep this up."
Seth waggles his eyebrows at me. "What a way to die." He frowns, and I realize he's looking at my forehead.
He opens his mouth and then snaps it shut again, so I reach up and feel a huge goose egg that is tender to the touch.
"Oh."
"Yeah." He stands up. "I'll go get some ice."
As he walks away, I let out a groan. Of course, I can't even do hot passionate sex without some awkward moment ruining it all. I fall back on the couch and then let out another groan as pain shoots through my brain. It would be just my luck to have a concussion too. But when I hold still, the headache doesn't come.
Seth returns with a bag of frozen peas. "Here."
I take it and gingerly place it on my forehead. "I'm sorry I ruined that moment."
"It was hot."
"Uh-huh," I say. He leans in and brushes his lips over mine. When he moves away again, I say, "That felt good."
"Yeah?" Seth smiles and kisses me lightly. And then he moves down to kiss my neck.
I lean my head back and let out a small noise of pleasure. It makes him let out a low rumble I realize is a growl.
"You are"—he nips at my jaw—"the sexiest"—Seth laps at the hollow of my throat, and his breath makes tiny hairs on my body stand up in excitement—"woman I've ever known."
I tug on the neck of my shirt to expose more skin for him to kiss. He dips down and slides his tongue along the edge of my bra cup. I arch up and mewl my delight as I forget my peas and reach to pull up my shirt.
"I've got it," Seth says as he removes my top. He sets it on the coffee table and takes my hand to make me hold the frozen veggies on my forehead again. He smiles. "I'm going to go slowly, Nina. And I'm not going to stop until you tell me to. Okay?"
My body is quivering in anticipation of his mouth on more delicate parts, and I nod. Seth flutters kisses along my collarbone before he slides a bra strap down. He works his way to my breast and reaches in with his hand to cup it so he can ravish my areola with his tongue. I close my eyes and let out whimpers in response to the ramping up of my desire as heat pools low in my belly.
Seth doesn't rush things, and it's not until I’m squirming beneath him that he moves farther down my body. I take my free hand and try to undo the button of my jeans.
"Are you sure?" Seth asks.
"Are you kidding?" I show him what's going through my mind telepathically.
A deep sound rumbles through him as his bear hears me, and he shoves my hand out of the way to unfasten my jeans. Denim rasps against my legs as he tugs them off. I want to die when he teases me with his tongue over my underwear. I let out a cry of frustration, which makes Seth chuckle. He lifts up and grabs my hand that is hanging over the edge of the couch as I loosely grip the peas. "You are a terrible patient." He puts the makeshift ice pack on my forehead again. "Keep this in place, and I'll give you what you need."
And boy, does he deliver. Seth does things to me with his mouth I can't describe, and I know I'm too loud when I cry out from my orgasm. As I quake in the aftermath, he kisses his way back up my body. He inspects my forehead. "That's one big bump. I'm so sorry."
"It was my fault." I reach out to place my hand on his cheek. "I'm afraid you're going to have to get used this with me. In case you haven't noticed, I'm the world's biggest klutz."
"Shhh. No more talking bad about the woman I love. Got it?"
I smile and pull him in for another kiss. And this time when I send him a message, it's to say, "I love you too."
9
Seth was the one who decided I shouldn't spend the night. I was more than ready, but he told me he had to get up for work early in the morning and that he was afraid we wouldn't get any sleep if I stayed. He was probably right. I've just woken up and am still in my bed when I stretch my arms out over my head as I yawn. A big grin covers my face as I think about what my sexy werebear did to my body last night. I don't think I could ever get enough of that.
"You awake?" asks Sammy as she pushes her way into my room. She rushes over to my closet wearing a pair of dress slacks and a bra. "Where's your white shirt with the three-quarter sleeves and French cuffs?"
"Uh…" I sit up, and the pain from my frown reminds me of the huge goose egg on my forehead. "Ow. It's on the right."
"Got it." A hanger rattles as she yanks it off and turns to look at me. "You got in—oh my god! What happened?"
I give her a wry smile. "Seth and I bumped heads."
"Jeez. What does he look like?" Her face drops as she buttons the shirt. "Oh no, you didn't give him a black eye with your magic like that rugby player? What was his name? Dumb? Dumber?"
"Dirk." I chuckle because he was not the brightest bulb in the pack. We only went out twice because on our second date, when we were making out in his car, I managed to elbow him hard in the groin. When he got mad because of the pain, so did I, and my magic exploded out of me in a fireball that hit him hard enough to give him a black eye. And it singed his eyebrow too. You'd think for a rugby player he'd have been okay with the pain and temporary disfigurement, but I guess his ego couldn't take the hit. He couldn't get over how I burned his eyebrow off. "Thanks for reminding me. I'd almost forgotten."
She chuckles as she tucks the shirt into her pants. "Hey, his loss. Did you have a good time with Seth last night?"
A silly grin covers my face as I hug my knees. "Yup."
"Awww. It's so nice to see you happy, Nina." She leans in close and scowls as she checks out my bump. "Ouch." Sammy steps back and straightens up as she lets out a rush of air. "So? Do I look professional and commanding?"
I take in her tall, slender frame and dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. "Very. But I think first graders just like nice."
"Good point." She gives me a sly smile. "This is for the hot principal."
I laugh. "Got it. Have a good day."
"Thanks," she calls out as she breezes through the door.
I climb out of bed to start my day. I have a little Bichon named Jack to deal with this morning. The poor guy is terrified of pretty much everything and bites anyone who comes near him except his owner and me.
Coffee dribbles into a pot as I grab bread to make toast. I think about how I can communicate telepathically with Seth and probably all werebear if I want to. It's still just as terrifying to me as it was last night, because I imagine it makes me a powerful asset for a clan… one that they'll likely want to use to their advantage. Typically, it's just the alpha who can talk to their clan telepathically, and I know the ability doesn't span across all clans other than their own. But I bet mine can.
My toast pops up, and it's hot on my fingers when I grab it to drop on a plate. I'm going to have to talk to Sammy and Elise about this because I think my power is something I should be careful to protect. I take my breakfast to the table and let my thoughts turn to the dog I have to work with this morning. As I eat, my phone rings, and when I see it's Sammy, I answer with a mouthful of food. "Hey."
"Please tell me you're still home."
"Yes. What's up?"
"I forgot an important folder. Do you see it on the counter?"
I get up and find one. "Blue?"
"Yes." She lets out a sigh of relief. "Any chance you could drop it by the school on your way to work?"
"Sure. I'll be there in about twenty minutes."
"Thanks, Nina. You're saving my life."
"You got it," I say as I get up and put my plate in the sink. I rush through the rest of my morning routine so that I have time to bring Sammy her folder, and I'm out the door ahead of schedule.
I pull into the elementary school, which is on the way to my client's house, and when I get out of my car, I take a moment to look at the playground. It occurs to me that I could have children on those swings someday, and it makes my heart fill with joy.
After I get buzzed into the building, I walk over to speak to the woman behind a partition of clear glass. I recognize her right away. "Nancy! Hi."
"My gosh. Nina." She turns to another woman. "Cheryl, this is the girl who turned Pixie into the sweetest dog ever."
Cheryl sm
iles at me. "She talks about you a lot."
Nancy asks, "So how can I help you?"
"I'm here to drop something off for Sammy Newton. She's working in the first-grade testing today."
"Your roommate. I met her this morning, and she's a lovely girl. You can go peek in on the children if you'd like. The classroom is down on the right past the kindergarten. Room 103."
Considering I can't get the idea of having kids off my mind, I say, "Sure."
I make my way down the hall. The walls are covered with artwork in bright colors, and the floor shines, making it feel like a happy place. When I get to the kindergarten door, which is clearly marked as such, I pause to look inside. Kids are sitting on the floor in a circle as a large man holds up a book to show them pictures. Something about him… he turns just enough I can see his profile. Oh my god. It's Seth! My jaw drops.
I stand for a moment as I wonder if he's substituting. He did say that he worked at the school. But how does he do this and work as a warrior too? I shake off my shock because I remember Sammy needs her folder, and I continue on to the first-grade classroom. When I knock on the door, the teacher sees me and comes over to let me in. The children are all sitting at their desks but turn around to watch what's going on.
"I'm Sammy's roommate and here to give this to her," I say as I hold out the folder.
"I'll make sure she gets it," the woman says as she takes it from me. When I leave, I walk slowly and stop again at the door to Seth's classroom. He's still reading the kids a book, and his animated movements make me smile. The children are focused on him, and they all look so sweet. I notice Stuart too. Seth must do this often.
I continue on, and when I get back to where Nancy is, I decide to ask her about Seth.
"Find everything okay?" she asks when she sees me.
"I did." I step closer to the window. "Is Seth Brewster a substitute here?"
"Seth? Goodness no. He's the kindergarten teacher. Do you know him?"