“You’ve had a long and eventful day.”
She nodded. “And tomorrow’s going to be longer. I have several files that have to be transcribed and submitted tomorrow.” She saw the puzzled look on Forrest’s face. “I’m a medical transcriptionist. I transcribe audio notes. The best part is that I work from home so my commute time is from the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee and then to my office.”
“You have a shorter commute than I do. Why did you choose that profession?” asked Forrest.
“When Seth was little, I didn’t want to leave him with anyone because I didn’t know who I could trust. So I had to find something that I could do from home, make my own hours, and paid well. I happened to have a friend from college who worked part time doing medical transcription. She was working towards a medical degree. Anyway, I contacted her and she hooked me up with everything I needed to get started.”
The gears in Forrest’s head were already turning. His home office would be perfect for her. It had a great view of the woods. He just needed to find out exactly what it would take to set it up for her. As soon as he could, he would get a peek at her current office, but for now, she needed to get some rest. It was difficult, but he was going to honor her request of time so she could get to know him. “Would you have dinner with me tomorrow evening?”
“I can’t exactly leave Seth alone. I know he’s old enough, but…”
“But tomorrow’s Friday, and I’m supposed to go over to Teddy’s house for a sleepover,” interrupted Seth. “That is if I’m not grounded.”
Audrey turned and looked at Seth. “Aren’t you supposed to be in your room playing video games?”
“I decided to get a soda.”
“We are going to have to have a talk about listening to other people’s conversations.” She knew Seth had been listening earlier when she was telling Forrest about his parents.
“I know I shouldn’t have been listening, but you should go out with Forrest. If I’m at Teddy’s house, then you don’t have to worry about me.”
“So Seth is going to a friend’s house, that leaves you free for dinner.” Forrest grinned at her.
Audrey shook her head. “You look like a kid who’s just been told he can have all the candy in the candy store.” She looked at both of them. Those two were going to keep her on her toes.
“What I’ve been given is way better than candy, and definitely sweeter.” Forrest waggled his eyebrows at her.
“I was making it easier for you, and you just had to go and ruin it with that sappy stuff.” Seth shook his head and walked away. “Let me know if I can go to Teddy’s or not,” he hollered as he disappeared in the direction of his room.
“Looks like I’m going to dinner with you tomorrow,” said Audrey. “I don’t do the fancy dress up stuff. I’m more of a jeans or leggings and t-shirt kind of girl. I prefer comfort over fashion.”
“Good. I’m more of a jeans person too. Though I’m not much into leggings for myself, I think they’ll be really cute on you. How about I pick you up around 5:30 tomorrow?”
Audrey nodded. “That would be good.” She stood up and started stacking the empty boxes while Forrest put the leftover pizza into one box. This was her first date in years, and it was with her mate. She was at a loss for words at that moment.
“Don’t worry about the trash. I’ll take it out when I leave.” He picked up the box with all the pizza. “Put this in the refrigerator for Seth. It’ll give him something to snack on.”
Audrey snorted. “Between midnight snacking and breakfast, it wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t eat everything that’s left.”
Forrest chuckled. “It wouldn’t surprise me either. Just wait until he starts shifting more often. He’s really going to eat then.”
Audrey’s eyes briefly widened before she closed them and groaned. “You’re telling me he’s going to eat more than he already does?” She looked at Forrest. “I’m going to have to get a second job just to pay for Seth’s food.”
Forrest pulled her into his arms. The last thing he meant to do was add more stress to her already stressful life. He admired her determination to create a home for Seth without the support of her family…without anyone helping her. “You won’t have to do anything you don’t want to because I will be here to take care of you and Seth. You are mine. I love your strength and courage. But you are not alone anymore. You have me.” He brought his lips to her.
The kiss was gentle but the burning heat of desire exploded between them. Forrest’s kiss grew more demanding. Audrey kissed him back, matching his intensity and desire.
Forrest felt the fire between them grow stronger. He broke the kiss leaving them both gasping for air. He rested his forehead against Audrey’s. He regretted breaking the kiss, but Forrest knew if he hadn’t, the fire between them would have flared into a raging inferno in a second or two.
“Will it always be like this between us?” asked Audrey.
“Yes.”
Audrey licked her lips. “Why did you stop?”
Forrest smiled. He could hear the innocence in her voice. “Because the fire between us would have raged out of control, and we would have done much more than just kiss. I promised you I would give you time to get to know me.”
Audrey nodded but didn’t say anything. She was torn between wanting to get to know him and dragging him to her bedroom. It was mind blowing how fast her thoughts about sex were changing even with her lack of experience.
“You need to get some rest, which means I need to go.” Forrest kissed her forehead and stepped away from her. He pulled out his cell phone. “What’s your number?”
Audrey didn’t like people making choices for her, but in this case she knew Forrest was right. She was tired and she needed sleep more than anything else. They had just met. They had the rest of their lives to love each other. She smiled at the thought of loving Forrest for the rest of her life as she gave him her phone number.
Forrest put the number into his cell phone. When he finished, he looked at her. “Where’s your phone?”
“It’s in the living room.”
“Go get it.”
Audrey nodded and left to retrieve her phone. She unlocked it and handed it to Forrest when she returned to the dining room.
Forrest added his name and phone number to her contacts. “If you need me…day or night…call me. I will be here as fast as I can,” he said as he handed the phone back to her. “Promise. If you need me, you will call me.”
“I promise,” said Audrey. She took the phone and put it in her back pocket.
“Are the windows and doors locked?”
Audrey nodded. “I keep them locked and I’ve drilled it into Seth to lock doors behind him.”
Forrest nodded. “I’m going to go. I will pick you up tomorrow at 5:30 for dinner.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Lock the door behind me.” He took her hand in his and led her to the front door. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Remember, if you need anything, call me. I don’t care what time it is or what you need me for. Call.”
Audrey smiled. “I will call you if something happens. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Lock the door.” Forrest left before he changed his mind. His bear growled in protest, not understanding why they were leaving their mate. Forrest waited on the front porch until he heard the locks click in place. As soon as he did he got into his truck and pushed the start button.
He backed out of the driveway and drove to the end of the street. He stopped. The urge to go back was strong. His bear surged forth, but Forrest clamped down and stopped the animal before it ripped out of him and went back to their mate.
Tomorrow couldn’t get there soon enough, he thought as he drove home alone.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Audrey stared at the clothes piled on her bed. She had warned Forrest she was a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, but she wanted to at least look nice for him. She didn’t want to embarrass him. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was a quarter to
five and she still wasn’t dressed. She was running out of time. A choice had to be made so she could get ready for her date.
She picked up one shirt after another and put them back in her closet after she carefully looked at each one. She continued eliminating blouses until she picked up the last two shirts. One was a plain baby blue t-shirt and the other was a light green, over-sized flannel blouse.
Hanging the t-shirt back in the closet, she put on the light green blouse. It skimmed over her curves. The hem stopped about mid-thigh.
Audrey looked in the mirror.
She liked the length and the way the blouse fit, but it was long sleeved. It was cooler in the evenings when the sun went down now that fall was starting to creep in, but while the sun was up, the days were still warm. Audrey carefully rolled each sleeve until they were just below her elbows. She looked in the mirror again and smiled at her reflection. The flannel blouse was perfect over her faded blue jeans, and if she got cold, all she had to do was unroll her sleeves.
Audrey sat down on the edge of her bed and put on the boots she had pulled out of the closet before she started digging through her clothes. She glanced at the clock again. It was ten after five. She stood up. Grabbing her hairbrush, she ran it through her hair. Audrey didn’t bother with any makeup. It wasn’t something she put on very often, and when she did use it, she usually ended up rubbing it off. With a last glance in the mirror, Audrey left her bedroom and walked to the living room.
Seth was already at Teddy’s house. He wasn’t too happy that morning when he found the list of chores, which included him cleaning his room. He had tried to negotiate but quickly gave up when he realized she wasn’t going to cave like he hoped she would.
Audrey picked up a soft peppermint off of the coffee table. She unwrapped it and popped the sweet candy into her mouth. She was both excited and nervous about her date with Forrest. Each of the kisses they had shared last night left her hot, needy and wanting more. There was definitely a fire burning between them…an extremely hot fire. Ellie had described it as being on a roller coaster ride that never ended. Audrey was beginning to understand exactly what her sister meant.
Audrey smiled. Ellie had been happy being mated to Daniel. Yes, they had their problems and Daniel was extremely over-protective, which had caused a lot of the disagreements, but they loved each other.
“Hey sis. After all these years I found me someone to love and he’s a shifter too. I’m not fighting the feelings, but they’re so intense and that does scare me. I think it’s because I’ve never felt anything like this and I lack experience with men, but I’ve already fallen hard for him. I know. Grab the bull by the horns and hang on for the ride. See, I was listening to you.”
The doorbell rang.
“I’ve gotta go because he’s at the door.” Audrey sighed and wiped the corners of her eyes. Even after ten years, she still missed her twin sister.
She looked through the peephole. Her heart did a flip flop when she saw Forrest standing there. “Hey there,” she said as she opened the door. “How are you doing?” she asked, stepping back so he could come in.
“Hey there yourself.” A huge smile covered Forrest’s face. He gently pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly on the lips.
Audrey moaned softly as she kissed him back. The heat of his touch flowed through her body leaving a path of desire and need in its wake.
“Wow!” she whispered when Forrest broke the kiss.
He grinned. “We had better get going. I did promise you a dinner date.”
Audrey nodded. “I just need to grab my purse.” She reluctantly stepped out of his arms. She was seriously thinking of telling him she didn’t want to go to dinner. Staying home wasn’t a bad idea. She grabbed her purse and keys off the table by the door. “I’m ready if you are,” she said when she turned back to Forrest.
“You are beautiful.” He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.
Audrey leaned into his touch. “You make me feel beautiful and desired.” She looked into his warm whiskey brown eyes. Audrey blushed when she saw his passion and desires shining through them.
Forrest took her hand and led her outside. He waited while she locked the door. “Did Seth make it to his friend’s house?” he asked as he led her to his truck.
“I dropped him off after school. Teddy’s mom will bring him home tomorrow afternoon, and then he gets to start his chores after he’s finished with his homework. He wasn’t happy about having to do homework and chores.”
“I know.”
Audrey looked at Forrest. “How do you know?”
He opened the passenger door and helped her get in. He closed the door without answering her.
Audrey rolled her eyes. She waited patiently for him to get in the truck. “How do you know Seth’s not happy about the chores?” she asked as soon as Forrest closed his door.
His eyes were twinkling as he looked at her. “Because not long after you dropped him off at his friend’s house he called me.”
“He called you?” Audrey shook her head. “This is going to be a good one. I can already feel it.”
“He said to make sure you had a really good time this evening.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
“He did, did he?” Her mouth dropped.
“Seth also said to make sure you ordered one of your favorites. Either a medium-well T-bone with a loaded baked potato or a bacon cheeseburger with extra pickles and onions, mustard and mayonnaise, but no tomatoes or lettuce, with extra crispy fries on the side. For dessert, he said either chocolate cream pie or buttermilk chess pie.”
Audrey stared at Forrest. He had listed all her favorites and the way she like them. “Did he say anything else that I should know about? Like maybe, the last words I should carve on his headstone?”
Forrest laughed.
“I’m not joking. I’m serious about the headstone.”
“He said to make sure you had a good time and were happy. If you know what I mean. He made a set of air quotes. “The last part was his words, not mine.”
She felt the heat creeping across her cheeks. “Most definitely he is going to need a headstone and probably a casket to go along with it.” She looked at Forrest. “That little rat. I’m guessing he thinks if I have a really good time I will reduce his list of chores.”
“He didn’t exactly say it was but that’s the impression I got.”
Audrey turned and stared out the windshield. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh at Seth or ground him for the rest of his life. A wicked little smile slowly formed. She turned and looked at Forrest. “If I’m not mistaken, the garage needs to be cleaned and organized, especially since Seth has a lot of stuff in there. He can go through everything and see what can be donated, what needs to be trashed, and organize everything that’s left.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s probably going to take more than just the weekend.”
“I know. He’s got the punishment for skipping school, and now a huge reminder of why it’s not cool to try to manipulate people, especially you and me.” She flashed Forrest a huge smile.
“I don’t think he was trying to manipulate me,” said Forrest.
“Maybe not outright, but he was definitely testing the waters. If we don’t shut it down now, it will eventually get worse.”
“Are you sure?”
“Trust me. He’s a teenager. Ground rules and boundaries, because he’s a charmer and he knows it. If I don’t put a stop to it now, we won’t be able to live with him.” Audrey hated being the bad guy but she knew Seth’s boundaries had to be enforced.
Forrest shook his head. “You don’t happen to have a manual on how to raise kids, do you? I think I need to start reading it tonight.”
“There have been a lot of times I wish I had a manual. The best advice I can give you is be a parent first, stick to the rules and punishments you’ve set, and love them with all your heart.” She said as they walked to his truck.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Coffee yes. Dessert? I don’t think I can eat a whole slice of pie.” Audrey shook her head. She still couldn’t believe she had eaten all of her T-bone steak, but it was so good and she was hungrier than she had realized.
Forrest grinned. He looked up at their waitress. “Two coffees. A slice of chocolate cream pie, and a slice of buttermilk chess pie.”
“I’ll bring that to you in just a few minutes.” The young girl walked back to the counter.
Audrey rolled her eyes. “I told you I don’t think I can eat a whole slice.”
Forrest shrugged his shoulders. “No problem. You can take bite off of both and whatever you don’t eat, I will.”
“Have you ever eaten buttermilk chess pie?”
He shook his head.
“You might not like it,” she warned him.
‘Or I might love it.” He winked at her.
“Fair enough.” Audrey laughed. Throughout dinner, he had made sure she had everything she wanted. Instead of sitting across from her like the men on the few dates she had gone on, he sat next to her. She liked it.
“Here you go.” The waitress set down the plates with the slices of pie, and then two coffee cups which she quickly filled. “I’ll be right back with cream for your coffee.”
As soon as she dropped off the cream, Audrey fixed her coffee the way she liked it. she noticed Forrest was watching her but neither she nor he said anything. She picked up one of the forks and took a bite of the buttermilk chess pie. “That is so good.” She pushed the plate toward Forrest. “See what you think.”
She watched him pick up his fork and take a bit. No emotion showed on his face while he chewed and swallowed. Figuring he didn’t like it, she started to pull the plate back in front of her.
“Hey, leave that alone. You can have the chocolate cream. I want that.” Forrest tried pulling the plate back to him.
“You like it?” asked Audrey.
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