“Hey,” he said softly. “Don’t apologize. I get it. It’s a shock for most humans to realize that shifters exist. I’m just glad you didn’t let it keep us apart for very long. Because, honestly, I don’t know how I would have handled losing you before I even had a chance to show you how much I adore you. And I do adore you. I haven’t known you that long, but you’re already so special to me. I want to spend the rest of my time here on earth proving that to you.”
Lexi looked down at her feet, unable to meet Anderson’s gaze. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her chest that she was sure he must be able to hear it. “Don’t say things like that unless you mean them,” she said, her voice trembling. “I’ve had my heart broken by so many guys who promise me the world, and then leave the next day like I’m just some sort of worn out t-shirt they can easily get rid of.”
Anderson tilted Lexi’s face back up toward his. “I mean it. I’m not going anywhere. And if you try to walk away again I’m not letting you go without a fight. You’re worth fighting for, Lexi. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Lexi couldn’t hold back a smile as she met Anderson’s eyes. “Thank you,” she said, resisting the urge to follow up those two words with some sort of self-deprecating comment. She knew deep down she was a good, strong woman, and worthy of love. It was time for her to start accepting that and acting like it was true.
The oven beeped to announce that it was done preheating, and Anderson stepped over to get the frozen pizza started. Lexi couldn’t help staring at his ass as he bent down by the oven. She definitely wouldn’t mind getting to see that view more often. This holiday vacation was going much better than she ever could have hoped it would.
“What do you think Silver will say? About us, I mean,” Lexi asked when Anderson turned back around.
He laughed and rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. You know she’s going to be thrilled. She’s been trying to play matchmaker for quite some time now.”
Lexi nodded. “Do you think we should tell her right away, though? I mean, our relationship is really new. Aren’t there rules about how long you’re supposed to wait before announcing to children that you have a new girlfriend?”
Anderson’s face turned serious again. “Well, for one thing, there’s no way we can hide the way we feel from Silver. She’s been watching us like a hawk, and she’s not dumb. She’s going to know the next time she sees us together that something is up. And, besides that, I don’t care what the ‘rules’ say. I don’t need to wait a set amount of time to know that you and I are meant to be together, and that we’re going to last. I already know, deep down. You’re my lifemate, Lexi. That’s not just something I made up. It’s a serious bond and it’s impossible to break. My soul will be tied to yours for the rest of our lives.”
Lexi smiled. “This is crazy. You know that, right?”
Anderson laughed. “If it is then I don’t care. I’ve never been afraid to be a little crazy.”
“When are you going to tell Silver?” Lexi asked.
“Tomorrow. I promised her we’d go get a Christmas tree and decorate it together. I’m hoping you’ll join us?”
“I’d love to.”
“Awesome. It will be our first family outing as a family of three, then,” Anderson said.
Lexi smiled, but inside she couldn’t keep the nervous knots from forming in her stomach. She knew Silver loved her, and she knew Silver had been trying to get her father to ask Lexi out for a long time. But would Silver still be as excited about it once it actually happened? It was one thing to daydream about your dad dating a new woman. It was quite another thing to be faced with actually having to share his attention with someone else. Lexi crossed her fingers that Silver would still be excited about having Lexi in her life once the reality of sharing her father hit her.
* * *
Lexi’s worries were clearly unnecessary. The next day, as Anderson, Silver, and Lexi trudged through the snow searching for the perfect Christmas tree, Anderson simply reached out and held Lexi’s gloved hand in his. It took Silver less than one full second to whip her little head around and look suspiciously up at her father.
“Dad, you’re holding Lexi’s hand,” she stated, raising one of her eyebrows.
“That’s right,” Anderson said, an amused smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“And you’re not just shaking hands this time,” Silver said, crossing her arms defiantly. “You’re actually holding her hand. You can’t deny that.”
“I’m not denying it,” Anderson replied.
Silver looked from Anderson to Lexi, then back to Anderson, then at their joined hands.
“Are you guys dating?” Silver asked, her tone incredulous.
Anderson smiled. “Yes, honey. I asked Lexi to be my girlfriend, and she said yes. She’s going to be staying at our cabin for the rest of her trip instead of at the guest cabin. And we’re working on ways to see each other a lot even once she’s back in Kodiak.”
“You’re serious?” Silver asked. She looked long and hard at her father, as though she thought he might burst out laughing at any moment and tell her the whole thing was a joke.
“I’m serious, honey. I wouldn’t joke about something like this with you.”
“Does she…does she know…about us?” Silver asked.
“That we’re bear shifters you mean? Yes, she knows. We’ve talked about it and I’ve explained everything to her.”
Silver looked immensely relieved, and then let out an excited whoop. She came running to Anderson and Lexi and jumped into both of their arms at once. “I can’t believe it! This is the best day of my life,” she shouted, holding them tight.
Lexi smiled, her eyes tearing up a bit. She should have known better than to ever be worried. Silver loved her, and wanted her to be part of the family.
The rest of the day was filled with laughter and joy. It was one of those days that stands out from all the other ordinary days in your memory. After they decided on a tree, Anderson cut it down and strapped it to the back of his truck to take home. They set it up in the living room, and decorated it with boxes of red and gold ornaments that Anderson pulled out of storage—along with several macaroni art ornaments that Silver had made over the years. After making sure the tree looked perfect, Lexi offered to make dinner. Silver helped her with the meal prep, and soon the roasted chicken dish that Lexi whipped up was baking in the oven. The three of them had nuts and cheese cubes for an appetizer, and when the chicken was ready they ate until they couldn’t possibly stuff themselves with another bite.
They played board games in the living room until Silver was too tired to keep playing, and she climbed onto the couch to sit between Anderson and Lexi. She quickly fell asleep, her soft snores filling the otherwise quiet room. Anderson smiled over at Lexi, warming her heart, and then reached over his sleeping daughter to grab Lexi’s hand and hold it, stroking the inside of her palm gently with his thumb.
It was only three days until Christmas now. Lexi felt her heart leaping with excitement when she realized that this year, she would actually be sharing the holiday with family. Her new family. For the first time since she moved to Alaska, she wasn’t pushing away a nagging feeling of loneliness somewhere deep down inside of her.
She knew she had finally found a home.
Chapter Seventeen
Christmas came and went in a blur. Anderson only bought Silver one present each Christmas. He told Lexi he wanted to teach her to value the spirit of the holiday and the chance to spend time with family and friends. He didn’t want her growing up thinking that Christmas was just another chance to get stuff she wanted. When Anderson told her this, Lexi thought that she would have fallen in love with him right then and there if she hadn’t already done so.
And Lexi did love Anderson. She would have told him, except that she felt foolish saying those three little words so soon after they started dating. But she couldn’t escape the overwhelming way her heart was constantly drawn to him.
She kept hoping that he felt the same, and would say the words to her first so that she could repeat them back. But as New Year’s Eve Day approached, and Lexi realized that she was set to fly back to Kodiak in less than a week, Anderson still hadn’t said the words. Lexi told herself to be patient. There was no need to rush things. She knew deep down that they were committed to each other, regardless of whether Anderson told her he loved her or not.
One person who didn’t hold back from saying “I love you” was Silver. As soon as Silver found out that Lexi was dating Anderson, Silver began telling Lexi she loved her. A few days later, Silver started calling Lexi “mom.” At first, Lexi tried to correct Silver and make her realize that Lexi wasn’t exactly her mother and that it was probably better to wait until more time had passed before using that term. But Anderson told Lexi not to worry about it.
“She’s wanted a mother her whole life, and you’ve been more of a mother figure to her than anyone else,” he’d said. “Let her enjoy that. Don’t worry that I’m going to leave you and break your heart and Silver’s heart at the same time. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
So Lexi had let Silver call her “mom.” She’d also dared to allow herself to think of Silver as a daughter. She loved that little girl so much, and the thought that she actually had a chance to be a permanent part of Silver’s life made Lexi’s heart sing with joy.
Lexi spent the last day of the year going to a low-key party at the house of one of Anderson’s best friends, Sawyer. Sawyer was the alpha of the clan, which Lexi learned basically meant he was the leader. Anderson was Sawyer’s right-hand man, and the two worked closely together on both clan business and the tour company. Lexi met Sawyer’s wife, Amanda, who was also a full human. Talking to Amanda helped Lexi feel even more at ease about dating a bear shifter. Amanda assured her that the whole experience had been wonderful, and that it was actually pretty neat to know that your significant other could shift into a bear to protect you at any moment.
Lexi also met Sawyer and Amanda’s daughter, Ella. She didn’t get to hold Ella for very long, though, because Silver hogged the baby the whole day. Silver was a natural with babies, and Lexi couldn’t help but think about what an amazing big sister Silver would make. Or, of course, how fun it would be to have a tiny newborn of her own to share with Anderson and Silver. She didn’t say anything to Anderson, but she hoped the day when they could start trying for a baby wouldn’t be too far off.
After a day of fun and food, Anderson and Lexi headed home. They would celebrate the actual New Year at home, alone, when the clock struck midnight. Sawyer and Amanda didn’t want to wait up, since they had such a young baby. And Silver, despite claiming that she was a big girl and could stay up all night, had fallen fast asleep by the time they arrived back at Anderson’s cabin.
After Anderson carried Silver to her room and tucked her in for the night, he came back to the living room and poured glasses of champagne for himself and Lexi. They toasted each other, then snuggled and laughed for the last few hours until midnight. A few minutes before midnight, Anderson suddenly stood and went to grab something from one of the kitchen drawers. Her curiosity piqued by his abrupt movement, Lexi turned around to watch him.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Anderson didn’t answer her. Instead, he walked back to the living room and knelt down in front of where she was sitting on the couch. In his hands was a small velvet box. Lexi opened her mouth in shock and covered her face with her hands as Anderson opened the box to reveal a beautiful, sparkling diamond.
“Lexi, I know we haven’t been together that long. But I feel like I’ve known you forever. It was you I’ve been searching for this whole time, and I didn’t even know it. You were the only one who could truly set my heart free, who could give me a reason to love again. You’re beautiful, kind, and inspiring. You love my little girl like she’s your own flesh and blood. I couldn’t ask for a better partner in life. I love you, Lexi. Will you take this leap of faith with me? Will you be my lifemate? My wife?”
Lexi felt a rush of joy filling her as she listened to Anderson’s words. Not only did he love her, but he wanted to marry her!
“Yes!” she cried, reaching out to pull him up onto the couch with her. “Yes, yes, yes! Nothing would make me happier.”
She pulled his mouth down to hers, and kissed him. She heard a thud as the box he had been holding dropped to the floor, but she didn’t care. She would look at the ring closer later. Right now, she wanted him. She wanted his lips on her lips—and he was happy to oblige. He pushed her down onto the couch, quickly taking charge as he lay on top of her and held her cheeks in the palms of his hand, kissing her deeply. She reached her arms around and grabbed his ass with her hands, squeezing tight and pulling his groin in toward her. She could already feel his erection through his jeans, stiff and ready for her. She slid her hands to the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it off, groaning as she took in his bare chest and sculpted abs. That sight would never get old. He was a god of a man, strong and sexy, with skin that was somehow tanned to the perfect shade despite the fact that they were in Alaska in the middle of winter.
Not to be outdone, Anderson reached down and pulled Lexi’s shirt off as well, leaving her wearing a shimmering, gold-toned bra. She had picked it out just for the holidays. He smiled affectionately at her.
“Festive,” he said as he reached to unclasp the bra. “But no matter how beautiful your bra is, it just can’t compare to what’s underneath.”
He threw the bra aside, and moved to bring his lips to her nipple, when suddenly she realized that they were about to have sex in the middle of the living room with Silver sleeping just one room over.
“What about Silver?” she asked. “Maybe we should move this little party to the bedroom.”
Anderson chuckled. “Don’t worry, she was out cold. That girl could sleep through a hurricane. Trust me. She won’t be waking up until well past sunrise.”
Reassured, Lexi turned her attention back to undressing Anderson. “Well, in that case, why are you still wearing these jeans?” she asked. She swiftly unbuttoned and unzipped them, but actually pulling them down proved difficult while Anderson was lying on top of her.
“Let me help you out,” he said with a wink. He stood up and quickly kicked off his jeans and briefs, letting his long, thick shaft spring free. It was rock hard, and Lexi felt a thrill of hot excitement run through her knowing that soon it would be inside of her. She could feel the moisture of her excitement spilling out between her legs, and she was suddenly overcome with desire.
“I have to have you, now,” she said, reaching for Anderson’s hand to pull him back down onto her.
He pulled his hand back and held up one finger. “Well, then, you better wait just a second,” he said. “Let me get rid of these for you.”
He quickly unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans and pulled them off, revealing shimmering panties that matched the bra that was now on the floor somewhere in a pile of clothing.
“Such a shame to get rid of these pretty things,” he said. “But they have to go, too.”
He pulled them off, leaving a wet trail of Lexi’s juices down her legs as he pulled off the garment that was soaked with her excitement. He paused to pull off each of her socks as well, leaving her completely naked.
“That’s more like it,” he said, then climbed back onto the couch, his naked body hovering just above hers. “Now, where was I?”
He moved back to kissing her lips for a moment, but quickly moved down to her nipples. He flicked his tongue across first the left one, and then the right one. Then he used his teeth to chew them with just the right amount of pressure to drive Lexi wild. She groaned with pleasure as hot, tingling heat shot from her nipples and radiated out to her entire body. He knew exactly which buttons to push to leave her begging for more, and beg she did.
“Anderson, please,” she panted out. “I need you.”
“You need me?” he asked, sounding pleas
ed. “Like this, you mean?”
With one quick, powerful movement, he slid into her. His rock solid dick pushed far into her body, sliding easily into her wet entrance and making its way so deep that she felt like he was poking through to her stomach. She moaned as the heat in her body now centered at the spot between her legs where he was sliding in and out, causing an intense pressure to build.
“Anderson,” she panted out. It was the only word she could manage to say. She arched her back and squirmed beneath him, trying to relieve the mounting pressure. But there was only one way to find relief, and that was to let go. As he thrust back and forth, Lexi held out as long as she could. But, finally, she gave in and let the waves of passion carry her over the edge. Hot, electric tingles radiated through her entire body as her inner muscles clenched around him over and over, squeezing his dick tighter each time. Lexi closed her eyes and let herself just ride the tsunami as it swept over her. She had never known a bliss like this before. The intensity quite literally took her breath away, and she found herself gasping for air.
Anderson followed quickly behind her. He let out a low growl before thrusting one more time and then stiffening, letting himself come deep inside of her. Lexi could feel the pulsing of his dick against the pulsing of her own body, and she sighed happily as the waves slowly calmed and then subsided. They lay there together for several minutes, sweaty and happy and just enjoying being close to each other.
“Oh shit,” Lexi said suddenly, raising her arm to look at her watch. “I think we missed midnight.”
Anderson smiled. “I think it was worth it, don’t you?”
Then he reached down and grabbed the small ring box that had fallen beside the couch. He pulled the beautiful, sparkling stone and held it up for Lexi to see. Even in the dim light from the fireplace, the ring shone brilliantly.
Grizzly Flying Free (Air Bear Shifters Book 2) Page 12