Stolen Kisses

by Merryn Dexter

  His alarm had woken him up in a tangle of vanilla-and-cinnamon-scented sheets, one arm clamped around the pillow he’d buried his face in. He’d showered before going to sleep, and the sweet-spicy hints of her still clung to his skin. Gee had made a point of giving him an extravagant sniff when he arrived but had refrained from any comment. Not that he needed to ask questions. The spooky old bear had a way of knowing what was on a person’s mind before they’d even formed half a thought.

  Having finished filling the refrigerators, Easton set out rows of small glass bowls, filled them with a selection of table snacks, and covered each one with cling wrap. It would give the evening servers a head start. He went around the tables next, refilling the napkin dispensers, wiping everything down, and straightening the chairs and stools. Finally satisfied everything was in order, he wandered back to the bar where Gee still muttered over his notes.

  Working around the bear, he cleaned down the rest of the bar, gathered all the used towels, and loaded them in the washing machine, returning with a stack of clean, folded towels from the dryer. An unholy grin lit the big bear’s face, and Easton winced. Gee underlined something in his notepad, chuckling to himself. “Oh, that’s good. That’s really good.”

  “Gonna share the secret?”

  Gee grinned wider. “You’ll find out soon enough, boy.” The bear shuffled off, still laughing to himself.

  The scavenger hunt had been the talk of the town since Gee had first suggested it a few weeks previously. Who Gee would assign for the hunt was a closely kept secret, and the pairs chosen would have the ten days leading up to the pack run to complete their challenge. Whoever Gee selected had to work alone, without family assistance or interference, but Easton had overheard enough conversations to know there would be epic levels of sabotage and cheating. He’d even been approached with an offer of a bribe if he could find out what any of the challenges were in advance. Gee hadn’t let his notepad out of his sight, and Easton liked his hide enough to turn the bribe down flat.

  A steady buzz of excitement hovered over the pack, and everyone he passed on Main Street seemed to be talking about it. Ducking down an alley, he tapped his knuckles against the rear door of the restaurant and let himself in. The delicious aroma of spicy tomato sauce perfumed the air, and he paused in the act of removing his jacket to take an appreciative sniff.

  Will Saunders glanced up from the bubbling pot in front of him. Will and his wife, Bridie, were the surrogate parents of Hannah, a latent wolf and healer mated to Caleb Burrows, the youngest of the Burrows three children. They had been accepted into the pack when the rest of the family returned, and Stefan had stood for the humans in the same way Easton had for Sadie the previous night—staking his life for their good behavior. Having sold their diner, they’d invested their savings in the abandoned restaurant in Los Lobos, turning Dottie’s into a warm and welcoming eating spot. Will gave Easton a warm smile. “Hello, my boy, how are you?”

  “I’m good, thanks. Everyone is real excited about the scavenger hunt.” He angled his head toward the door to indicate the folks outside.

  “You’re not kidding. It’s all anyone can talk about, us included.” Will chuckled. “I’ve heard some outlandish suggestions, I can tell you.”

  The swinging door between the kitchen and the restaurant opened, and Bridie appeared, laden with dirty dishes. Easton sprang forward to gather them from her, and she raised her hand to pat his cheek. “Such a good boy. How was your shift at The Den?” Her too-casual tone made him laugh. Bridie had been one of the worst offenders at trying to pump him for inside information—not that he had any.

  “Busy, what with the extra delivery Gee had come in.” Turning on his heel, he made a big performance of loading the dishwasher then rolled his sleeves and washed his hands thoroughly in the big stainless-steel sink. Curiosity rolled from Bridie in waves, and he counted silently, wondering how long it would take for her to break. Twenty-one, twenty-two….

  “Delivery? Things for the Solstice party, or something else?”

  He wandered to the cold storage area, gathered some vegetables, and carried them back to his prep station. “For the party, mostly.” Keeping his eyes fixed on the chopping board, he started peeling and slicing. Gee had spirited away a couple of packages so they could have been for the scavenger hunt. Will coughed, but Easton didn’t dare look toward him for fear he’d start laughing.

  Bridie harrumphed and banged a few pots just to make sure Easton understood her displeasure at his lack of cooperation. He could feel his shoulders shaking with suppressed humor and straightened his back in an effort to control them.

  Will knocked his spoon against the side of the big pot on the stove. “I hear you met our new arrival last night, son.”

  “Oh, yes! How could I have forgotten about Sadie? Leave those vegetables, Easton, and come and sit down. I’ll bet you haven’t eaten anything, have you? Will, fix him a bowl of those meatballs, and he can tell us all about her.” Swept along by Hurricane Bridie, there wasn’t much he could do other than submit to her barrage of questions.

  ***

  The new moon was edging closer to first quarter, providing enough illumination for his wolf eyes to pick a safe route along the winding road leading to the sprawling wooden house. Laughter and music spilled from the open kitchen window, together with the rich smell of chicken stew. Easton tugged his collar closer against the brisk chill of the wind and increased his pace. He was later than intended, having spent time shoveling and gritting all around the restaurant. His nose hadn’t picked up any fresh snow in the air, but the clear skies would bring a hard freeze, and he hated to think of Will or Bridie slipping.

  He knocked on the front door and had already bent to unlace his boots when Stefan opened it with a welcoming smile. “We were just about to send a search party out for you, East.”

  “Sorry, I hope you didn’t wait for me.” He put his boots and coat in the cloakroom and accepted the warm hug Stefan enfolded him in.

  “Of course we did. Go on through to the living room and I’ll get you a beer.”

  Padding across the hall in his stocking feet, Easton froze at the arresting sight of Sadie curled up in a big armchair with baby Micah cradled in her arms. Her shiny curls draped over one shoulder, and the little boy had a thick strand clenched in his tiny fist, his deep-brown eyes fixed on Sadie’s face. Yearning burned in Easton’s chest. A home of his own, a mate, children.

  She raised her head, and he swallowed the whine in his throat. He should say something, but, with his heart so full, he didn’t dare in case he spilled his need out. Sadie needed time to settle, and he’d sworn to be patient with her. We’re in this for the long hunt, brother, his wolf reminded him, and he drew on the animal’s reassurance. He couldn’t stop himself from moving closer, though.

  Crouching beside her, he cupped the baby’s head in his palm and absorbed the sweet smell of fresh baby powder and Sadie’s own delicate vanilla and spice. “I see I have a challenger for your affections,” he said, and she laughed softly.

  “He’s a darling.”

  Micah cooed in agreement at her assessment, and they shared a smile over his head. Her lips parted, and the pink tip of her tongue teased the corner of her mouth. Unable to resist, Easton leaned close enough for their breath to mingle. An inch separated them, a whisper—

  A triumphant howl split the air, jerking them both back, and Micah let out his own howl of indignation at his peace and quiet being disturbed. People spilled into the room from every direction. Hannah gathered her fretting son, tucking him tight against her as she rocked him in her arms. Stefan, Marjorie, and Caleb followed hard on her heels. At the same moment, Ven came charging from the hallway with Caitlyn in his arms. The huge wolf howled again, ignoring his mate’s embarrassed attempts to hush him.

  Connor and Bailey arrived just behind him, tugging their clothing into place. “What the hell is going on?” Connor demanded, brushing a hand through his muss
ed hair.

  “Cub!” Ven declared, throwing his head back for another howl. Caitlyn tried to squirm free from his hold, but he gripped her tighter. “Stay!”

  She shook her head but quit struggling with him. “Are you going to be like this for the next seven months?” Looking around the room, she fixed her tear-filled eyes on her mother. “What my mate is trying to tell you is we will be adding to our family in the summer.”

  “Summer,” Ven echoed proudly as the family descended on the pair with hugs and shouts of congratulations.

  Hannah laughed. “It took Caleb about two days to be able to use proper sentences again when he found out about Micah.”

  Easton stood back, enjoying the family celebrations before him. Sadie stayed in the chair beside him, a look of uncertainty on her face. A space in the group opened up and Caitlyn held her hand out, beckoning her cousin to join them. Easton blessed the kind omega for being sensitive to Sadie’s need even at such a moment. He blew Caitlyn a kiss, shaking his head when she tried to draw him in, too. A knock at the door gave him the perfect excuse to escape the room and the ache in his chest.

  Gee Rivermoon filled the doorway and beyond, forcing him to duck his head as he crossed the threshold. He raised an eyebrow toward the noise in the living room. “Have I come at a bad time?”

  “Ven and Caitlyn have shared some good news. I am sure they will be pleased to see you.” Gee had looked out for Ven, the same way he had for Easton, and they retained a close relationship.

  “Hmmm. I might have to rethink my plans,” the bear muttered as he strode into the living room.

  Ven had been persuaded to put his mate down, but he kept her clamped close to his side as he shook hands with Gee and accepted his congratulations. A cork popped in the kitchen, and the entire group found themselves herded into the dining room by a beaming Stefan. Gee had accepted an impromptu invitation to join them for supper, and soon everyone clutched a glass of champagne as fragrant steam rose from the bowls of stew in front of them.

  “A toast!” Stefan said, raising his glass. “To my family. I am grateful beyond measure for every one of you.” He looked around the table, eyes resting on each individual present. “And to new beginnings.”

  Bubbles danced on his tongue as Easton sipped the crisp golden wine. He caught Sadie’s eye over the rim and tipped his glass toward her. “To new beginnings,” she mouthed at him before letting something Marjorie said pull her attention away.

  Their bowls were soon empty, and Connor circled the table, refilling glasses where required. He paused next to Gee, and the bear shook his head when offered another drink. He reached into his pocket, and silence fell as all eyes locked on the notepad in his hand. “As you might have heard, I am arranging a scavenger hunt.” Laughter interrupted his casual statement. “Yes, well. I had intended to assign a task to Ven and Caitlyn.” He held up a meaty hand before the big wolf could protest. “Had intended, I said. I’ll have to come up with another plan.”

  “We’d do it, but Bailey and I have to go back to Franklin for a few days to sort out some stuff with the business.” Bailey ran a successful construction company in her hometown, and they’d decided to keep it going.

  “I’ll do it,” Sadie said before clamping a hand over her mouth as though worried she’d spoken out of turn.

  A chance to spend time with her was too good an opportunity for Easton to pass up. “We’ll do it together.”

  Chapter Five

  Me and my big mouth. Sadie stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jacket and glanced around the night-dark garden. There wasn’t much to see under the snow, but guessing what plants might be hiding under the various white lumps and bumps was better than looking at the shocked expression on Easton’s face. And definitely better than the faux-innocent smile Gee had given them when he outlined their tasks for the scavenger hunt. Tasks, plural.

  “And it has to be the matrons?” The scent of defeat as much as the tone of his question said Easton knew the answer already.

  Gee nodded. “They’ve been having far too much fun over the past few months. It’s about time they were on the receiving end. You’ll have to be subtle. If they find out what you are doing, then you’ll be disqualified.”

  She let the conversation between the two men drift over her while she applied her brain to the conundrum Gee had set. Gee wanted a kiss from each of the four women, but how on earth could they persuade them to kiss the wily old bear without them growing suspicious? Not just that, but each kiss had to be different. Four different types of kisses…a peck on the cheek, one on the lips…one of those old Hollywood movie kisses where the hero tips the heroine over his arm. She’d never been kissed like that. Most of the time, kissing had been a stepping stone to other things, hotter things. What would it be like to have a man focus his whole attention on the intimate exploration of mouths and tongues? The first tentative press segueing into wet heat, learning the taste and touch of each other—

  “Sadie?”

  Startled out of her reverie, Sadie blinked then blushed at the sight of Gee’s retreating back. She’d been so busy thinking about kissing, she hadn’t even noticed him taking his leave. Hopefully, the dark would shield the heat on her cheeks; she clenched her fists in her pockets to stop herself from drawing attention to the rosy flush. “Sorry. I was just thinking about….”

  Easton stepped closer, the crisp crunch of snow beneath his boots the only sound in the silent evening. With gentle hands, he lifted the collar of her jacket to shield her face from the sharp edge of the wind, and she tilted her head to bring her cheek into contact with the backs of his fingers. Keeping hold of her collar, he pulled her closer, forcing Sadie to catch her weight on the balls of her feet.

  His lips were softer than she expected, warm and dry, thank goodness. One potential boyfriend had never progressed past a first, unpleasantly wet kiss. “If you’re thinking about something else, then I’m not doing this right,” he murmured against her mouth.

  She didn’t have time to formulate a response because he took possession of the kiss, wiping every thought from her mind. Opening eagerly to the insistent press of his tongue, Sadie let his hands take her weight and leaned into him. He swept inside, leaving nothing untouched in his thorough exploration. The fresh bite of his natural scent swirled around her head, enhanced by the crisp cold air, the perfect accompaniment to her own vanilla sweetness. A tugging sensation built low in her belly, and she whimpered when he broke the kiss with a wrench of his head.

  Hot breath gusted over her cheek, matching the breathless sawing of her lungs. “Sadie, Sadie….”

  There was a question in the way he said her name, and she had only one answer for him. “Yes.”

  Nudging his jaw, she tried to persuade him to turn his head back to where she needed it to be. The pressure of his hands on her collar increased, and she found herself set back on her heels.

  “I have to go.” He was already halfway across the garden, following the deep footprints Gee had left in his wake.

  Sadie licked her lips, savoring the taste of him and his lingering scent on her cheek. Fur brushed beneath her skin, her wolf rising to imprint the marker of their mate. Mate. The wondering realization disappeared in a cloud of doubt. Margarete had warned her the Burrows fell hard and fast, but she’d dismissed her grandmother’s warning as a bit of romantic license. Easton was a stranger. Kind, thoughtful, devastatingly attractive, but still a stranger.

  Laughter drifted from the house, and she stamped her suddenly cold feet. She didn’t know how long she’d been standing alone outside, but the ache in her toes said it had been a while. Forcing her muscles into action, she trudged across the snow and back into the welcoming warmth.

  A quick check in the cloakroom mirror revealed the flush still glowing on her cheeks. She could blame it on the cold air, but they would know something was up if she didn’t fix her deer-in-the-headlights expression, though. The longer she stayed in the cloakroom, the m
ore suspicion it would raise so she set what she hoped was a normal smile and followed the sound of voices toward the kitchen.

  The enticing aroma of chocolate and sugary marshmallows drew her across the room to the stove where Marjorie stirred a large saucepan. “Homemade hot chocolate?” Having only experienced the type from an instant packet, Sadie couldn’t keep the yearning out of her voice.

  “There you are, darling.” Marjorie smiled over her shoulder. “And, yes, I thought you might need a hot drink after being outside in the cold for so long.” She paused. “Easton isn’t with you?”

  Sadie chose to ignore the speculative glint in the older woman’s eye and busied herself rearranging a pile of cookies on a large earthenware plate. “No, he had to go,” she said to the cookies. “I’ll take these in, shall I?”

  Escaping to the living room didn’t improve matters as the conversation broke off and everyone stared at her. She placed the plate on the coffee table then made a beeline for the safety of the big armchair. Marjorie followed on her heels, and Stefan jumped up to grab the tray full of steaming mugs from his mate. The distraction from the cocoa and cookies didn’t last.

  Hugging a floral cushion like a shield, Sadie cast around for something to say. Gee had been explicit in his instructions. They were not to discuss any details of the scavenger hunt with friends or family, and they couldn’t tell any outside their immediate circle they were even part of the hunt. They had ten days until the Solstice run to gather kisses from four unsuspecting women. It seemed impossible.

  Kisses. Warmth curled inside her, and Sadie tossed the cushion aside and jumped up. “I’m very tired so if you don’t mind, I’ll take my drink up with me.” She cracked her jaw on an exaggerated yawn.

  “Whatever you want, dear,” Marjorie said. “We can talk in the morning.”