Well, yeah. There was silence for a moment as everyone digested the story. As with most silences in her family, it didn’t last for long.
The front door opened again and her remaining brother, Adam, strolled in carrying several pizza boxes. Great, her whole family was here.
“Right, squirt?” Adam asked as he took the food to the kitchen. Kyle and Frankie immediately followed. Dammit. With her sore leg, she’d never make it through fast enough to eat before her brothers ate everything. They really were that fast.
“Fine,” Dana answered, struggling to get up.
“Don’t even think about it.” Ethan had finally found his voice. He stalked over to her and lifted her.
“Ooh, he’s a keeper,” her mother cooed, flashing a brilliant smile on the wolf and patting once of his biceps.
Ethan carried her into the kitchen and sat himself on a chair, pulling Dana onto his knee. She opened her mouth to complain but he merely smiled and said, “You’re out of chairs.”
Looking around, she noticed that he was right. She only had six chairs and they were all taken. She glared at him and snagged herself some pizza.
“What’s with the wolf?” Adam asked, smacking Kyle’s hand away from his pizza.
“Mate,” Frankie shrugged, stealing some of Kyle’s pizza while he was busy trying to steal Adam’s.
Adam winced. “Good luck, mate.”
Dana growled. Ethan was going to think that she was some kind of shrew. She was sweet-natured, dammit. It was just that a person had to be somewhat assertive with her family. It also helped to be just a little crazy.
“It’s not happening,” she gritted out, slapping away Frankie’s hand from Ethan’s pizza. “We decided it’s a bad idea.”
“Actually I think it’s a great idea,” Ethan chimed in, leaning over and reclaiming her pizza slice from Adam and handing it back to her. “So I rather think it will be happening.”
“You’re deluded,” she snorted. Then again maybe she was the deluded one. Being so close to him, she was painfully aware of the effect he had on her. He was attractive, he smelled good and, now that he was no longer being a jerk, his behaviour towards her was protective and teasing. She liked him. Even though she was determined not to. She felt a little hot and bothered by his nearness. Determined not to suffer alone, she wiggled a little, smirking when his hand tightened around her waist, holding her still. She could feel the hard length of him against her.
His breath tickled her ear when he leaned in to murmur into it. “You’re awfully brave when your family are here, sweetheart. Will you still be so courageous when they go home?”
Dana shivered at the thought and fought to control her blush. Part of her longed to give in but she wasn’t ready yet. He had hurt her and she wasn’t sure that he really meant to stay with her, that she could trust the bond between them. What if he changed his mind again?
Ethan handed her the pizza slice he had recovered from Frankie as she handed him his slice which had found itself on Kyle’s plate.
“Why don’t they just eat their own pizza?” Ethan asked her, watching as Kyle and Adam got into a girlie looking slap fight over another slice of pizza, while Frankie liberated a slice from each of them.
Dana shrugged. “Apparently it’s not as much fun. It’s sort of like a contest to see who gets to eat the most. You should have seen the Great Pizza Battle of 2012. You get used to it.”
“I guess I will,” Ethan said, looking at her pointedly.
Chapter 22
Ethan sighed. Dana’s family had finally gone home. After the pizza, there had been the cookies which had made the pizza swapping look almost normal. The cookies had involved a good deal more snarling. Since when did moose snarl anyway?
At first, her family had bewildered Ethan. He had never had much of a family so he had little to compare it to. Dana’s family were a little overwhelming but Ethan found that he liked them. They had quietly included him, not making a big deal out of his presence, and behaving as though he simply belonged there. He felt accepted and he was surprised by how good that made him feel. Clearly, they had no issue with him mating Dana. Her mother had taken him aside at one point and told him to hang in there. Her exact words being, “You gotta out-stubborn her, dear. You’ll wear her down eventually.”
Her brothers, for all their nonsense, were protective of her. Each had offered to help keep an eye on her and asked Ethan to call them if there was any trouble. Her father had stopped on his way out of the door and looked at Ethan.
“Let me know when you find the guy upsetting my girl,” her father said. Then he grunted and left with the others.
The house now seemed oddly quiet. As much as he had enjoyed her family - you know, after the shock had worn off - he was glad to finally have his little moose to himself.
Dana was dozing on the sofa, clearly exhausted after her day. Ethan could understand. A couple of hours with her family and he was ready to sleep for a week, and he hadn’t been through everything she had today.
“C’mon, sleepy,” he said, crouching on the floor beside her. He ran a hand over her hair, enjoying the warm, soft feel of it in his fingers.
She raised her head a little and looked at him. “I’m tired.” Her voice was soft and sleepy.
“I know,” he said. “Let’s get you into bed.”
She sat up and he carried her into the bathroom to brush her teeth. He waited outside until she was ready and then carried her into her bedroom.
“Could you get me some water?” she asked, reaching under her pillow and pulling out a pair of black pyjamas consisting of a vest and shorts.
“Sure.” He’d fetch her just about anything she wanted. He returned to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. When he reached the bedroom, she was already snuggled into her bed, curled on her side.
He set the glass down on the table beside the bed. He smoothed the hair back from her forehead and leaned down to kiss it. He was surprised when she didn't protest.
“Night, sweetheart,” he said, straightening up and turning to leave. “Call me if you need anything. I’ll just be in the spare room.” His wolf howled mournfully but he pointed out that if they pushed her too fast, they could lose her. His wolf subsided but still wasn't happy.
“Ethan…” Her voice sounded small and scared. He crouched next to the bed to be level with her face.
Dana blushed and avoided eye contact. “Would you… Could you stay with me? Just for tonight. Just sleeping…” She peeked at him and looked away again. “I don’t really want to be alone right now.”
He reached out and gently stroked her face. “Of course. Scoot over.”
She smiled at him and wriggled her way across the bed. He pulled off his shirt and he heard her gasp and the smell of her arousal grew. Looking at her, he saw that she’d squeezed her eyes shut to give him privacy. Sitting down, he pulled off his boots and socks, before standing to remove his jeans. Another quiet gasp told him that his mate was peeking. He smiled to himself. Stripped to his boxer shorts, he crawled under the covers and snuggled up to his mate. For once she didn’t fight him, instead snuggling into him and taking the comfort he offered her.
“Thank you,” she mumbled quietly.
“Any time,” he answered, meaning it. Even just holding his mate was sheer bliss. His wolf yawned in his head, content to be near her. He wanted this. His lone wolf days were over. He waited for the panic to kick in. Then waited some more. Nope. He was good with it. This was what he wanted.
They lay in silence for a while. Finally, he felt her body relax and heard her breathing become deep and even. She was asleep, trusting him to protect her. He’d spend his life doing so if she let him. Thinking of the killer stalking her, he worried about his ability to keep her safe and, for him, sleep was slow to come.
Chapter 23
Dana awoke draped over something warm. Her thoughts a little fuzzy, she shifted a little and felt something hard under her thigh. What the heck
was she sleeping on? She wriggled a little to get comfortable and heard a groan. Iron bands squeezed around her, holding her still.
She jerked up as far as she could and saw Ethan watching her. The events of the previous day flooded back and she remembered cuddling up to him last night. She had felt safe in his arms and had slept well. She had half expected to have a nightmare but the night had been uneventful. Thankfully. At some point during the night she had gone from cuddled against her mate to sprawled on top of him. As for the hardness she had felt under the leg she’d thrown over him… she flushed with embarrassment.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, trying to manoeuvre off him without any excess wriggling.
Ethan chuckled. “Don’t be. I was quite happy. Although, you really shouldn’t squirm like that unless you’re ready for the consequences.”
She blinked at him. “Consequences?”
Ethan rolled her over, his body half covering hers. She shivered a little with excitement and she knew that he’d caught the movement when he smiled at her. His brown eyes were dark with desire as he met her gaze. A little bit of dark hair flopped down on his forehead and she fought the urge to smooth it back.
“Yes, consequences,” he repeated. “I want you, little moose. If you continue to tease me, I might forget why I’m trying to take it slow.”
Why were they taking it slow? She warmed for a moment and then reminded herself that she didn’t trust him. That he had already rejected her. He didn’t get to change his mind back and forward, playing with her heart. She pushed at him but it was like trying to push a mountain. She kept pushing and nothing happened.
“We need to talk, Dana,” Ethan said seriously. “If I let you up, you’ll spend the rest of the day avoiding me as much as possible. I just need you to listen to me and then I’ll move. Deal?”
She sighed. “Fine.” She could do that. Since she couldn't move him anyway, she didn't have much choice.
“I’m sorry,” Ethan said, watching her face.
She tilted her head a little. “What?” She hadn't expected that.
“I said I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I should have said that before. I’m sorry for that too. What I said that night was stupid. I didn’t even mean it. I just got scared, freaked out, and ran like a coward.”
“You were scared?” she asked incredulously. Her big tough wolf afraid? Of her?
“Yeah.” He absently kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m a little screwed up, sweetheart. Meeting your family yesterday brought home just how messed up I am. I never had much of a family.” His eyes grew distant and his facial muscles were tense. “It’s mostly just been me. I got used to being the lone wolf.”
“Sounds lonely,” Dana said gently, stroking his arm. She hated the thought of him alone in the world. Her family drove her nuts but she'd be lost without them.
Ethan barked out a short laugh. “I didn’t even realize. I got used to being alone. I’d just never realized before how much I disliked it. Until I walked into a café on the morning doughnut run and met a cute little moose who tied my mind up in knots. I never thought I’d have a mate, sweetheart, and then there you were. Everything I wanted but thought I’d never have, dangled there in front of me. I panicked and I tried to push you away. I am so sorry, Dana. I wanted it so badly that I was afraid if I reached for it, I would lose it.”
“So you rejected me,” Dana said softly. Part of her understood. The connection between them was intense and it frightened her sometimes too.
Ethan sighed. “I will never forgive myself for hurting you like that. I was a coward and an idiot. I thought you’d be better off without me. You probably are, but I’m too selfish to let go. I want to be your mate, Dana. I want to claim you. I want to grow old with you and I promise I’ll never reject you again.”
Dana looked at him. The sincerity shone from his eyes and he looked at her with such tenderness that she wanted to cry. She wanted to believe him but a little voice inside her pointed out that he could change his mind again.
Ethan pressed his forehead to hers. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I don’t expect you to trust me. I broke that trust and I have to earn it back. I’m just giving you fair warning that I’m sticking around and working at earning your trust and forgiveness. Even if it takes me until we’re old and wrinkly. I’m not going anywhere and I’m not giving up.”
With that he kissed her and rolled off her. She missed his warmth immediately. She watched as he stalked to the door. His body was beautiful, well-toned and muscly, but not too bulky. He had a few scars dotted around, typical of a male shifter. When he reached the door, he turned his head.
“Why don’t you grab an extra five minutes?” he suggested. “I’ll grab a quick shower and then make us some breakfast.”
Speechless, she just nodded at him. After he left, she replayed everything he’d said to her. She wanted him, of course she did. He was her mate and she wasn’t blind. Now that he wasn’t being a jerk, she did like him. A lot. She just needed a little time to believe that he was serious about her. She was distantly aware of the sound of the shower and tried not to picture her wolf naked and wet. Who was she kidding? She totally pictured him naked and wet, and pictured herself right alongside him. All more serious thoughts were banished in favour of a wonderful fantasy that pleased her and yet left her unsatisfied. She briefly thought about touching herself but rejected the idea. If he entered the room afterwards, he would know from the scent. He might even hear her. Damn shifter super senses.
Sighing, she sat up and got out of bed. Gingerly placing her foot on the ground, she noted that it wasn’t too bad this morning. It hurt a little but she should be able to walk on her own two feet today, even if she did limp.
By the time she’d pulled out some clean clothes, Ethan poked his head around the door.
“Shower’s all yours,” he said, his eyes scanning her body.
Dana was suddenly aware that she was scantily dressed. Her vest and shorts displayed much of her body. Under his gaze, her nipples hardened, drawing his eyes to her chest. The look of hunger on his face sent a wave of heat to her pussy and she saw his nostrils flare slightly.
“God, woman,” he groaned. “You’re going to kill me.”
Chapter 24
Ethan closed the bedroom door behind him, took a deep breath, and left for the kitchen. His erection was painful and his wolf urged him to get back in there and claim their mate. Ethan had meant what he said though. He was willing to put in as much time and effort as it took to win her over. Jumping her was unlikely to help.
He knew she wanted him. He could see and smell how her body reacted to him. It wasn’t enough though. He wanted her mind too, and also her heart. Those would be more difficult to win over.
He rummaged around in the kitchen and came up with the ingredients for French toast. He could manage that. He’d hoped for some bacon but she didn’t seem to have any. In fact, she didn’t appear to have any meat at all. He was just finishing up breakfast when Dana appeared, hair still wet from the shower. She wore black, form-fitting jeans that outlined her shape, making his own jeans suddenly feel a little tight. Her red t-shirt had a close-up of Elmo from Sesame Street.
“Hey,” she said shyly, sitting down at the table as he placed her breakfast in front of her. “Thanks.”
“Hey yourself,” he said, sitting down across from her with his own plate. “I couldn’t find any bacon, so I went with French toast.”
Dana shrugged. “I’m vegetarian.” She looked at him and giggled. “You should see your face. It’s okay. I don’t expect you to be vegetarian. Each to their own.”
Ethan relaxed. He could deal with that. “How’s your leg? I noticed you’re limping a little.”
“It’s not too bad,” Dana answered. “I can walk on it now so that’s an improvement. I thought I might shift today and maybe that will help.”
“Good plan,” Ethan said, eating his breakfast.
“Actually,” Dana said,
pushing food around on her plate. “I was thinking about going outside to shift. My moose is getting restless and she wants to be in the woods.”
Ethan froze with his fork halfway to his mouth. He looked at her. “You know that isn’t safe, sweetheart.”
“It would be if you came with me,” she said hopefully. “Maybe you could shift too and I can see your wolf.”
Looking at her, Ethan knew that they were going out to the woods. He was never going to be able to say no to his mate. She was demonstrating trust in him, at least when it came to protection, and he gloried in it. She looked so damned appealing when she looked at him with those big eyes. He was pretty sure she was doing it intentionally but it didn’t matter. The effect was the same. His resolve melted.
“Okay, little moose,” he said. “If that’s what you want.”
“Thanks, Ethan.” She smiled at him and his heart skipped.
“It will be a short outing. You stay near me at all times and you do what I say when we’re outside,” Ethan insisted. It should be safe enough with him there. He'd make sure it was safe. “Understood?”
“I’ll behave,” she promised, drawing a cross over her heart with her finger and pulling his attention to her chest. He stifled a groan and concentrated on eating.
After breakfast, they got into his car and drove to the nearby woods. Ethan was on alert, eyes tracking every movement, listening carefully for anything out of place. He did understand Dana’s need to be outdoors. As shifters, they all needed to spend some time in nature. Their other sides needed to be let out from time to time. It would be easier if they could just shift inside their houses for a few hours but it didn’t work that way. Their inner animals needed to be free. Every so often they needed to shift outside and indulge their other natures. Ethan’s wolf was more than ready to get outside in wolf form.
They parked a short distance away and walked into the woods. Dana moved with a slight limp but it seemed that her injury was well on the way to healing. As she walked, she was quiet, her forehead creased in concentration. She was thinking about something, probably his speech this morning. She had listened to him. Her expressive face had told him that she wanted to believe him but she was afraid of being hurt. He couldn’t blame her for that. He’d give her a little space to think about it but he wouldn’t give up on her. Not ever.
Don't Moose With Her (Bearbank Book 1) Page 9