by Celia Kyle
Mia nodded. “Yes, I didn’t think a slinky nightie was appropriate here. Van has never worn these, and he offered them to me.”
He stepped closer, and his nostrils flared while he breathed deep. “You don’t smell like him.”
She barely restrained the urge to roll her eyes. Dark brown fur now coated his biceps. “No, because they’re new and I slept alone until Parker got me out of bed this morning.”
He compressed his lips and his attention strayed from her, his gaze settling on the landscape in the distance. Seconds of silence ticked past, neither of them speaking. Part of her felt like giving in, jumping into his arms and saying to heck with the rest. But she knew she’d never forgive herself if she relented so easily.
Dang, she loved the man, but she wasn’t about to subject herself to a lifetime of lies and secrets.
“I’m sorry.” The words were low but clear. He turned back to her, his stare intent. “I’m sorry for so, so many things.”
She nodded, acknowledging his words, but she wasn’t quite sure what her response should be.
“If you’ll let me, I’d like to take you out today.” She opened her mouth to reply, but he spoke again before she could get the words out. “No funny business and our clothes stay on. Someone,” he cleared his throat. “Someone reminded me that you and I—that I—didn’t take the time to get to know you. So, I’d like to do that if you’re willing.”
“I—”
“She says yes.” Gigi’s shout came from deep within the house, and Ty’s chuckle came immediately on its heels.
Mia wanted to say yes, wanted to commit and leap into his arms, but doubt still lingered. “Ty, I don’t know.”
He closed the distance between them, stopping just short of touching her, and stared intently at her. “I messed up. I know it. But I’ve never done this before. I’ve never cared about anyone but myself and my clan. You’ll always be my Itana, Mia, but give me another chance to prove I can be the Itan you deserve.” He took a deep breath and she pretended there weren’t tears swimming in the big, bad Itan’s eyes. “Please.”
When he looked at her like that, when he whispered those soul-wrenching words for her ears only, she had one answer: “Yes.”
A wave of relief rippled over him, and it looked as if a massive weight left his shoulders. A blinding smile spread his lips, and he leaned the tiniest bit closer. He pulled one hand from behind his back and presented her with a single yellow tulip. He brushed the soft petals against her cheek and the delicate, clean scent of the flower filled her.
“For you.” His voice was rough and deep. Mia slid the tulip from his grasp and clutched the delicate stem. “A red rose seemed too ordinary for you, but the meaning remains the same.”
She stared at the thin, yellow petals while his words tumbled through her mind. Red roses meant love… She’d heard him, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to accept the message.
“Ty,” she sighed.
“Go change, Itana. Wear something comfortable because we’ll be gone for a while.”
Mia nibbled her lower lip. “I have to be back—”
“By two-thirty because your father will be here between three and four.” He placed a fingertip on her chin and pulled down, forcing her to release the bit of flesh. “I’m not the only one in this relationship with secrets being revealed.” Ty removed his touch, cleared his throat, and stepped back. “Go change. I’ll wait here.”
Mia swallowed, panic overtaking her. How much had he discovered? What did he know?
“Go ahead. We’ll have time to talk once we get where we’re going.” His words didn’t hold the gruff, emotional tone any longer.
She moved back and let the door swing closed, cutting off her view of Ty. She stared at the solid piece of wood while thoughts tripped over each other in her mind. Which secrets had come into the light overnight?
“Well?” Gigi’s question cut into her racing thoughts.
“He wants to get to know me.” She twirled the yellow tulip in her fingers. A red rose seemed too ordinary for you, but the meaning remains the same. She turned back to the sweet, yet annoying, woman. “He gave me a flower. Can we put it in water?”
She padded toward the other woman, intent on getting to the kitchen. She’d get dressed, just as soon as she ensured Ty’s token would last more than a few hours.
“At least he listens every now and then.”
“Huh?”
Gigi waved her away. “Nothing.” She plucked the tulip from Mia’s grasp. “He did good, though. Hopelessly in love. That’s what a yellow tulip means.”
Hopelessly in love.
Mia shook her head, unwilling to let her heart head in that direction. At least, not yet. Or rather, again.
*
Ty tried sitting on the porch swing, but the way his knee bounced when he sat jangled the chain and annoyed the hell out of him. Then he paced, the thump of his boots on the worn wood annoying him even more. He finally decided pacing on hard land would work better, so he kept walking over the same fifteen feet of ground while Mia changed. Out of his brother’s clothes. His bear was still angry about that. Even if Van had never worn them, they belonged to the other bear.
“She called out for you last night, you know.” Isaac’s words had him halting in his tracks.
“And you know that how?” The bear inside him rose to its hind legs, flexing its muscles and preparing to shove the human half of him aside.
“She’s not exactly quiet and I was stationed outside her bedroom window. Hell, I’m surprised half the clan didn’t hear her.” Isaac took another pull on his cigarette and then lifted his foot, snubbing it out on the bottom of his shoe. “Damn things are gonna kill me,” he mumbled. “That woman is so hung up on you, you’d have to be blind not to see it.”
“And she left me. Yes, I can see what you mean.” He snapped his mouth shut, swallowing his bitterness.
“Uh-huh. I’d feel sorry for you if you didn’t deserve it.”
“You know what—” A snarl replaced the rest of his sentence. He had a shit-ton of pent up energy and he knew just how to get rid of it. Ty took a step toward Isaac, ready to beat the man bloody.
Except then the front door swung open, and there was Mia looking gorgeous and fresh and his. The bear rumbled in appreciation and dropped back, happy to bask in her presence. They could always kill Isaac later. Wasn’t like the man was going anywhere.
Ty strode up the steps, fingers tingling with the need to touch her. Just a small connection, nothing sexual. He held out his hand and waited, hoping that the two of them hadn’t destroyed things beyond repair. Because it was true, he wasn’t the only one holding secrets. It seemed she had a few herself.
“Ready?” The word was deep and rough, but his bear refused to take a back seat.
She nodded and placed her hand in his. For the first time since she’d walked out of the door, he was calm. Just her touch soothed him like nothing else.
“Where are we going?”
“One of my favorite spots.” He smiled wide when a bright red blush suffused her cheeks. “Not that one. I’ve got a few others.” He winked and smiled even wider when the red turned near burgundy. “C’mon.” Ty tugged her toward his beat up truck. They’d be roughing it a little, but the battered thing was the only vehicle he risked going over the bumpy roads.
In a handful of moments he had her in his truck and then they were on their way, heading deeper into the forests that surrounded the clan den. The vehicle bounced over the deep ruts and dragged through big patches of mud. The angle of their ascent had the tires slipping every now and again. The man-made road they traveled had been created by the clan and couldn’t be found on any map. It was hidden, it was sacred, and it was theirs.
The silence that blanketed the cab was both comfortable and tense. Ty’s human half was on edge, hunting for something to say, some way to smooth the strain that surrounded them. While conversely, the bear was finally at ease, content with its other half near
by.
The few miles to their destination passed and they finally emerged into the massive clearing. Trees had been uprooted and transported elsewhere in the forest to make the space flat and open. He kept driving until he reached the leveled top of the hill, and he maneuvered the truck until the bed faced the valley.
“Where are we?” They were the first words from Mia since they’d entered the vehicle.
He kept his gaze trained on the tree line, unwilling to see her reaction to the place he held so dear. “The clan gathering spot. I thought it’d be nice and peaceful. A place for us to talk and get to know each other uninterrupted.”
“Oh.”
That was all he got from her—a low, murmured “oh.”
“Oh good, or oh bad?” He hated the uneasiness in his voice. He needed to find his footing again, needed to hunt up level ground so he wasn’t stumbling around in the dark.
Ty sensed the weight of her gaze, was able to see her look to him in his periphery. “Good.”
One word and then the clunk of the door handle being tugged was followed by the grating squeak of the hunk of metal being swung wide. He stared at her then. Stared at the back of her head, the soft curls, and the curves of her body exposed by the snug fit of her sun dress. She hopped to the ground and was hidden from sight when the door slammed closed once again.
Well, he was doing okay so far. She had at least gotten out of the truck voluntarily.
Ty was quick to follow, quick to head to the back of the vehicle and meet her by the tailgate. He found her staring down into the valley below and he focused on it, as well.
The green, rolling hills appealed to his bear. The forests were home, but it was nice to be able to wander safely and without worry of someone sneaking up on him. Homes dotted the landscape, the dens of his clan members spread across the grassy valley. He spotted Van’s place, the house surrounded by shifted bears and assorted cars.
“It’s beautiful.” Her whispered words were carried to him by the breeze.
“It is. It’s home.” He reached over and tugged on the handle to the tail gate, releasing the latch and then slowly lowering it. In one quick move, he vaulted into the back and grabbed the things he’d brought along.
Blankets and pillows overflowed his arms, and he dropped them on the end.
“What are you doing?” Trepidation edge her words, and he glanced at her, wincing at the uneasiness coating her face.
“We’re just talking, eating a little something. Nothing more, Mia. I promise.” He waited for her, waited for her acquiescence.
When she nodded, he went back to work, laying things out over the clean truck bed. He’d washed the thing once he and Keen had returned from their shopping trip. He didn’t want his Itana anywhere near the dirt and grime that had been caked on the metal. Next he snared the massive outdoor umbrella he’d found and rigged it into place.
A chuckle had him looking to Mia, and he grinned at her. “What?”
“You thought of everything.”
He shrugged, a little heat rushing to his cheeks, and turned back to his task. “You’re pale. The last thing I want is for you to burn and be in pain.” Umbrella in place, he took a step back and surveyed his work. Satisfied everything was as he planned, he moved to the tailgate and held his hands out. “C’mon up.”
He wiggled his fingers, and she shook her head. “No, I’m too—”
Unwilling to hear the end of her sentence, he snared her anyway and easily lifted her onto the truck bed, smiling at the squeak that escaped her lips.
“Dang it, Ty.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle in response. That turned into a loud laugh when he caught sight of her outraged expression. “We would have been arguing forever, Itana. You think you’re too big to carry, and I think you’re absolutely perfect. You’re made for me. I just need you to see it.”
*
Oh, Mia saw it, more than she cared to admit out loud since there was still a crap-ton to work through. Sure, they’d shared a home for nearly a week, but his days were consumed by clan business plus the house was constantly filled with other bears. With Parker added into the mix, the only time they’d spent alone was when they slept. And even that was occasionally interrupted by the small cub. All in all, six days later, she still stared at a near stranger who she was half in love with and angry with at the same time.
Deciding not to argue, she settled on one of the piles of blankets and pillows he’d created. “So, what did Gigi make for us today?”
Ty shook his head. “Gigi is firmly in the ‘Itan is an idiot’ camp. I made this myself.” He delved into the basket and returned with a wrapped bundle. “I can take care of you even if I am feeding you lunch for breakfast.”
“I know.” She nodded. She knew he could.
The first packet was unwound to reveal a large sub. That one was immediately followed by another. Then chips and cookies and… more food than she could ever eat. Ty set everything out between them, each tidbit within easy reach. It also kept them apart.
Mia quirked a brow. “You’re not feeding me by hand this time?”
The annoying man smirked. “If I got that close to you, you’d end up naked and screaming my name. Again.” He winked at her and then gestured to the array of food. “This keeps us both a little safer.”
“Uh-huh.” Not commenting further, she dug into the food, savoring the flavors and smiling when she realized he’d taken the time to put it all together, to provide for her. The flower had been from the human half of him, but the feast was all bear. A bit early in the day for lunch fare, but then again, eating on a hilltop wasn’t conducive to bacon and eggs.
His gaze remained intent, and she fought to hide how he affected her. Of course, there was no concealing the way her nipples hardened or her pussy dampened due to being in his presence. Every once and again, he’d flare his nostrils and breathe deep. She couldn’t help but blush then, knowing he could scent her desire for him. It was difficult to rationalize telling him no when her body screamed yes.
Their meal passed in relative silence, the quiet only broken by the chittering of animals and the songs of the birds that filled the forest. When she finally popped the last, remaining berry into her mouth and finished the sweet morsel, she let her gaze linger on him.
“So…”
Ty squirmed and then he slumped his shoulders. “So, I don’t know how to do this. It’s caveman as hell, but my bear and I crave you. We want you in our den, and we have no problem throwing you over our shoulder and locking you in.” He took a deep breath. “But you deserve better. Just tell me what I need to do to make you happy, Mia, and I’ll do it.”
He looked so heartbroken that she nearly caved right there, but crumpling and giving in wouldn’t solve anything.
“Tell me about yourself, Ty.” She snuggled deeper into the pillows and enjoyed the shade from the umbrella and the soft breeze that ruffled her hair. “Just tell me about yourself and I’ll tell you about me.”
And so they talked.
His parents retired six years ago, leaving him in charge while they lived in Florida. The heat was tough on bears, but it made his mother happy so his father had gone along. Their electric bills were huge.
And oh, by the way, they would probably be in residence by the end of the week, two days from now at the earliest. He’d sorta told them he’d found his Itana.
Ty had the grace to blush and wince as the confession rolled off his tongue which went a long way toward her deciding not to kill him.
Then she’d sorta told him about her father’s impending arrival (which wasn’t news to him), the fact that he wasn’t her biological father (which was), and her relationship to Parker (which threw him for a loop).
“He’s your cousin.” Ty drew the words out, as if saying them slowly would help him understand them better.
“Yes,” she nodded.
“And the Cutler Itan, who will be here soon, is your grandfather.”
“Yup.”
“So Griss is…”
“A cousin.” And it boiled her blood to think of the man that way, but facts were facts.
Ty blew out a slow breath and leaned back. “What about the papers your father filed with the Southeast Itan? Is he,” Ty gulped. “Is he taking you back with him?”
Her heart broke for him then. The defeat in his gaze went bone deep, and snippets of their conversation came back to her.
“More than anything, I don’t want the ugliness of the werebear world to touch you, Mia. This thing with Griss… It’s ugly. I want you wrapped in a bubble, protected from anything that could upset you.”
“No,” she shook her head and his eyes brightened a bit. “I asked for custody of Parker in light of my grandfather’s child rearing practices and the way he failed to act when my biological father ra—” She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. “When my biological father raped my mother. Plus, Griss attempted to beat Parker to death. With Sarah’s help, I think.”
“You want to keep Parker.” It wasn’t a question, just a statement, but she nodded nonetheless. “He’s going to be the Cutler Itan, Mia. I don’t want you to get your hopes up. The clans take the line of succession very seriously and believe future Itans are better left with the previous Itan for training.”
She had thought of this; she and her father had thought of this. “If he’s with me, he’s with a family member and you can train him. I don’t think there’s anyone better to train Parker than you.”
A hint of joy lit his eyes and then they deepened to black. “The only way I could do that is if you stayed.”
Mia’s heart thundered, pounding against her rib cage and fought to burst through her chest. Excitement and nervousness warred within her, and she knew there was only one answer she could give him. While today had been enjoyable and reinforced her decision, she’d already made her choice the moment he brushed a yellow tulip across her cheek.
Hopelessly in love.
“Which I am.” She held her breath, waiting for his response.