When they arrived at the ceremony site, the parking lot was already packed. Mindy had been a nurse at Red Valley’s largest hospital for several years, and she had several friends and acquaintances who wanted to attend her wedding. Usually, lifemate ceremonies were small affairs, limited only to shifters and those humans who already knew that shifters existed. No one wanted their wedding ruined by humans asking questions about the strange traditions being observed, or, worse, realizing in horror that shifters existed. But Mindy had insisted that she wanted a larger wedding and she didn’t want to exclude any of her many friends. The ceremony would thus be toned down, and any references to shifting or lifemates would be couched in terms that wouldn’t raise any eyebrows among the fully human members of the audience.
Clara was looking forward to attending a wedding that was closer to the kind of celebration to which many full humans were accustomed. She had never been to a wedding that wasn’t a full-fledged lifemate ceremony, so this would be a different, exciting experience for her.
Clara followed Hunter and Riley into the beautiful church where the ceremony would be held. The windows were all stained glass, and the pews were made of rich, ornately carved wood. The church wasn’t large, but nearly all of the seats were filled already. The mood was upbeat, and Clara smiled as she looked around, trying to see if she recognized any of the faces. She saw a few people she recognized as regulars at the pie shop, waving in recognition when her gaze passed over theirs. Clara had just about settled in to her seat next to Riley when she glanced back toward the entrance and did a double take. Carter had just walked in, looking nervous but handsome as ever in a charcoal gray suit. He quickly took a seat in the back row, his eyes darting around over the crowd of people. Clara quickly turned around in her seat and stared straight ahead. She didn’t want to be caught watching him yet again. And she didn’t want to acknowledge the way her heart beat faster at the sight of him.
If only he were the one sending her all those flowers, Clara thought dreamily. She’d be excited about the over the top romantic gesture if the bouquets came from him. She almost laughed at the thought. Carter seemed like a tough guy. The kind of man who was a little rough around the edges and didn’t have time for silly, superfluous activities like sending flowers and writing love notes. He seemed nice enough, but he was a big, muscular construction worker. He liked to be outdoors and work with his hands. Nothing about his profile fit a man who would send off bouquets as a secret admirer.
Clara turned her attention to admiring the lavish decorations at the altar, where in just about fifteen minutes Mindy and Zach would stand to say their vows. Mindy had wanted a holiday themed wedding, and she had gone all out with giant arrangements of poinsettias accented by glittering gold ribbons. A wooden arch, decorated with mistletoe, had been placed near the altar. Clara admired the decorations, then frowned as she realized that she had let her own resolve to decorate the hangar slip away into the busyness of life. She decided that she would make getting a Christmas tree a priority once Monday came along and she had a day off.
The music that had been playing in the background suddenly changed and grew louder, signaling that the ceremony was starting. Zach took his place near the altar. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a bright poinsettia bloom serving as his boutonniere. Clara turned to watch as Bailey and Ian walked down the aisle. Despite Mindy’s desire to have a big wedding and invite as many guests as possible, she kept the bridal party simple. Bailey was Mindy’s best friend among the crew, and so she was serving as the maid of honor. And Ian, the alpha of the crew, was Zach’s best friend. He was serving as both the best man and officiator of the ceremony. An odd combination, but who really followed all of the traditional wedding rules anymore?
After Bailey and Ian, Drew and Sophia came down the aisle. Drew was dressed in an adorable little tuxedo with a boutonniere that matched his dad’s, and Sophia wore a frilly white dress with a gold sash around her waist. The brother and sister made the most adorable ring bearer and flower girl Clara had ever seen. Drew went to stand next to his father, and Sophia went to stand next to Bailey. The music changed again to the traditional bridal march, and the whole audience stood and turned to watch Mindy walk down the aisle. She walked alone, her head held high and her eyes full of confidence and love as she made her way toward her groom. Her dress was shimmering and white, with long sleeves and a short train. Her veil covered her face, sparkling with sequins. She had left her red hair down, and it fell in dozens of voluminous curls underneath the glittering veil. Clara’s breath caught in her throat as she watched Mindy take her place beside Zach. Mindy looked stunning, and Clara couldn’t help but be swept away by the magic of the moment. Weddings and Christmas both exuded romance, so you couldn’t get much more romantic than a holiday wedding.
Ian kept the ceremony short and simple, and in well under half an hour, the crowd was cheering as Zach kissed his bride and led her back down the aisle and out of the church. Clara followed Hunter and Riley to their car, and hopped in the backseat again for the short drive to the reception, which was being held in a hotel ballroom. Clara resisted the urge to look around for Carter, focusing instead on the excited discussion between Hunter and Riley as they talked about what a good job Mindy had done in picking out decorations.
The decorations at the church had been nothing compared to the decorations at the reception, however. The ballroom had been transformed into a winter wonderland, with large, glittering icicles and snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. The tables were covered in shimmery white tablecloths, with large arrangements of white poinsettias serving as a centerpiece for each table. A few small Christmas trees with frosted tips were scattered throughout the room, and there was even a sparkling silver sleigh gracing the entrance to the dance floor. A photo booth, complete with another archway full of mistletoe, invited guests to don furry shawls and sparkling Santa hats to have their pictures taken. Garlands of mistletoe were scattered throughout the room as well.
“This is incredible,” Clara said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “No wonder no one has had time to decorate the hangar for Christmas yet. Planning this must have been a huge project.”
Riley could only nod in agreement as she took in the beauty surrounding them. But the decorations weren’t the only well-done part of the evening. The buffet for the wedding guests provided a huge variety of delicious foods, including soups, salads, and numerous main courses with sides. The wine flowed freely, which was a special treat for Clara. Back in Alaska, wine had been so expensive that she hardly ever indulged in a glass. Here in northern California, wine was plentiful, cheap, and good. By the time the pie buffet was opened, Clara was stuffed and slightly buzzed. But she still couldn’t resist a slice of chocolate cream pie. She’d thought she would have tired of pie by now, since she saw it all day, every day for work. But Riley’s recipes were so good that they left you powerless to resist.
When Clara had finished her pie, Riley tried to drag her to the dance floor. But Clara wanted to let her food settle a little first, so she begged off and continued to sit at the table, enjoying the festive atmosphere and watching the dance floor fill up. When one of the waiters came around to offer Clara a refill on her wine glass, she agreed, even though she thought she thought she might burst if she drank the whole glass. She sipped slowly for about fifteen minutes, then decided to head to the bathroom before coming back to hop on the dance floor. She took a few extra minutes at the bathroom mirror to smooth her hair and reapply her lipstick. She thought she looked a little tired, but there wasn’t much she could do to fix that right now.
Clara stepped back into the reception room and put her small purse back at her table, then turned to head to the dance floor. As she walked across the room, she heard a familiar voice calling out her name.
“Hey, Clara! How are you?”
It was Carter. Clara felt the now familiar feeling of her heart racing with excitement as she turned to look at him. He had taken off his suit jacket, leavi
ng him in a black dress shirt with a charcoal gray tie that exactly matched the shade of his suit paints.
“Hey, Carter. Nice to see you. It’s a little strange to see you in a suit, since I’ve only ever seen you out working on the bunkhouse in old jeans and shirts. You clean up nice.”
“Thanks,” Carter said, running his fingers through his stiff blonde hair. He must have put some sort of mousse or gel in it, because it remained perfectly in place, even after his hand went through it. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Clara blushed as she felt Carter’s eyes sliding appreciatively over her body. She was wearing a strapless red cocktail dress that hit just above her knee. Clara loved wearing strapless dresses, because she felt like her shoulders were her best feature. She loved to show off their simple, subdued strength. She had brought along a black, furry shawl in case the evening cooled down too much, but it was so warm in here that she doubted she would bother wearing it until she went outside to leave. Clara also wore shimmering black strappy heels, which she hoped made her legs look longer.
“Actually,” Carter said, dropping his voice so it took on a husky tone. “You look stunning.”
Clara’s blush deepened, and her heart beat so quickly in her chest that she feared Carter might actually be able to hear the sound.
“Thanks,” she managed to squeak out. “It’s nice to have an excuse to dress up.”
Carter smiled. “That’s very true. I love having special occasions to look forward to.”
Clara smiled back at him, and then decided to take a little control of the situation. She was worried that this conversation would end, and Carter would disappear into the wedding crowd. If that happened, she might not have another chance to talk to him tonight. And Clara wanted to keep talking to him, so she asked the question before she could stop herself.
“Do you want to dance? I was just heading over to the dance floor.”
Carter look surprised, but his smile widened. “Of course,” he said. “I’d love that.”
He took Clara’s hand and led her to the dance floor. Just as they arrived, the rowdy remix of a well-known pop song ended and gave way to the soothing tunes of a love ballad. Clara suddenly felt self-conscious. She hadn’t intended to ask Carter to slow dance when she asked him to the dance floor. But he didn’t miss a beat. He put one hand on her waist and grabbed one of her hands with his other hand. He drew her in close to his body, and started gently swaying to the music. Clara felt lightheaded, like a teenager dancing with her crush at a high school dance. Carter smelled like sandalwood, and his body was warm and strong. Clara closed her eyes, trying to bring some semblance of calm to her heart as it pounded out of her chest.
Carter didn’t try to talk to her during the dance. He didn’t joke around, or make small talk about how nice the wedding and reception had been. He just breathed huskily in and out, in and out. Every now and then, the sexy stubble on his chin would brush against Clara’s forehead. For most of the song, she didn’t dare look up at him. She was afraid of what she might see in his eyes. She feared seeing the depths of his desires, and she had a feeling those desires were written all over his face right now. Clara tried to think rationally. Carter was sexy, and his quiet manner made him seem like the strong, silent type. But was he the type that could handle a bear? Clara really wasn’t so sure.
The song ended, but neither one of them moved to exit the dance floor as the next slow ballad started playing. They stayed for a second song, and a third. As they swayed through the third song, Carter moved his hands so that they completely enveloped Clara, drawing her in so that her chest was pressed against his chest. Clara sighed and savored the sensation of his heart beating against her. She wanted the song to go on forever, but, of course, it came to an end after a few minutes. The DJ switched to another fast number, and Clara looked up questioningly at Carter. His eyes were burning with the same desire she felt blazing in her own eyes. For a few moments, they stood there, holding each other’s gaze while other couples started boogieing around them. They were an island, standing still in the middle of a sea of moving people.
Carter reached down and grabbed one of Clara’s hands. The fire and heat of his touch sent waves of passion shooting through her body, and she let him pull her off the dance floor, powerless to do or say anything else. Carter continued leading her through the dozens of tables, which were mostly empty at this point, except for a tired guest here and there, taking a break from dancing.
“Have you tried the photo booth yet?” Carter asked, squeezing Clara’s hand as he looked over at her.
She shook her head no.
“We should try it,” Carter said. “It looks neat. There’s a remote with a switch. As soon as you hit the switch the camera takes your picture.
“Okay,” Clara said. “It sounds fun.” She was feeling buzzed from the wine and from Carter’s touch, and she was struggling to speak clearly. If Carter noticed, he didn’t say anything. He led her over to the photo booth, where a couple was in the middle of taking a series of silly shots. Carter and Clara waited patiently, and Carter continued to hold Clara’s hand. He tickled the inside of her palm with one of his fingers, and she felt delicious little shivers of delight going up and down her spine.
When the couple in front of them finally vacated the photo booth, Carter and Clara stepped inside. Clara giggled as she put on the furry white shawl and reached up to put the Santa hat on Carter’s head. Carter grinned as he grabbed the remote for the camera shutter, and then his voice took on a dramatic, serious tone.
“Ok, Miss Clara. What are we doing to do for our glamour shot? Any ideas for a good pose?”
“Hmm,” Clara said. “Should we do silly or serious? We could stick out our tongues at the camera?”
“Not very original,” Carter said. “But I do admit that it’s a classic silly pose. Let’s do that first. On the count of three. One, two, three.”
Carter and Clara both stuck out their tongues as the camera’s flash went off, and Clara blinked rapidly for a moment as she saw purple and green spots from the shock of the bright light.
“What’s next?” Clara asked.
Carter lowered his voice. “Well, I think it’s time for a serious pose, don’t you?”
“Um, sure,” Clara said, her heart racing again at the gravelly sexiness of Carter’s voice.
“Good,” he said. “Because we’re under some mistletoe right now and I seriously want to kiss you.”
With that, Carter leaned in and put his lips on Clara’s. The room faded away around Clara as she felt her body heating up from the sensation of having Carter’s mouth on hers. He held the kiss for several long moments, wrapping one arm around her waist as he pulled her in closer to himself. Just before he broke the kiss, he clicked the remote, and the camera flashed again.
When he pulled back, Clara had stars in her eyes, and they weren’t there because of the camera flashes. Carter went to grab the two photos that had printed from the attached digital photo printer, and handed them both to Clara.
“You should keep these,” he said. “To remember a lovely evening in a winter wonderland.”
Then he kissed the top of Clara’s head and left the room without another word. Clara stood still, holding the photos and watching him leave. Why did he take off so quickly? Was this just a one-night romance that would be forgotten as life’s daily grind started again tomorrow? Clara glanced down at the two photos in her hand. She laughed at the one of them sticking their tongues out. Carter had given the camera the perfect goofy expression, his eyes wide and laughing as he stuck his tongue out to the camera. Clara shook her head in amusement as she looked at the photo, but her look of amusement turned serious as she switched to the picture of them kissing.
There they were, under the mistletoe arch, lips locked and his hands around her waist. The whole thing had felt like a dream, and Clara might have thought that it didn’t actually happen if it hadn’t been recorded on the photograph that she held right there in he
r hand. She was still staring at the photograph when Riley walked up to her.
“Hey! There you are. They’re about to do the bride and groom exit with sparklers. Come join in,” she said.
Clara quickly put the photos face down against her leg so they weren’t visible. “Oh, okay, sure,” she said, feeling flustered and way too obvious about her discomfort. But Riley didn’t seem to notice Clara’s awkward attempt to hide the photos.
“Come on, hurry. We’re going to miss the exit,” she said, grabbing Clara’s free arm and dragging her toward the ballroom’s front doors.
Clara let herself be pulled along, but she glanced back one last time to see the beautifully decorated room. The snow decorations made her miss Alaska, but if things with Carter continued going the way they had been, she might be missing Alaska a little less.
Clara stood alongside the other wedding guests with a sparkler in her hand, ready to send off the bride and groom. She suddenly realized that she hadn’t even thought about her secret admirer over the course of the evening. She smiled as she lifted her sparkler high into the air, watching it flicker brightly against the dark evening sky.
Who needs a secret admirer when you’ve got a sexy hunk of a man right in front of you?
Chapter Ten
On Monday, Clara borrowed a truck from one of the clan members and made her way to a Christmas tree farm outside of Red Valley. She chose the biggest Christmas tree that could reasonably be tied down in the bed of the truck, and then she swung by a local warehouse store to stock up on Christmas ornaments. She chose red and gold colored ornaments, and picked up a few lighted reindeer to add to the festive ambiance. When she got back to base, she found Luke and asked him to help her drag the tree into the hangar. The Burning Claws Crew didn’t have an airplane of its own—they were always picked up by an aircraft when they were assigned to a mission—so the inside of the large hangar had plenty of open space for a Christmas tree.
Fire Bear Shifters: The Complete Series Page 54