by Olivia Arran
I cleared my throat, pushing back my nerves. “Mina, I’d like you to meet my Dad.”
She looked around, then back at me, then at Talbot.
“I’m glad to finally, officially, meet you, my girl.” My father squeezed her hand, a massive smile breaking over his face. “We were worried about you, and I’m not just talking about my son.”
She spun around, accusation in her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He didn’t want you thinking you’d gotten the job because of a family favor.”
I appreciate him trying to save me from spilling the brutal truth, but it was time. “Because I knew how you felt about inter-species mating.” And I didn’t want you asking where my Mom was.
“What’s this nonsense I’m hearing?” Granny interjected herself into the conversation, Liam by her side. Looking Mina over, she pursed her lips with a firm nod. “My girl isn’t that silly to believe the nonsense her father used to spout.”
“You’re the one who warned me off her.”
Mina spun around. “Granny!”
The older lady shrugged. “Got to make them work for it, honey.”
My father drew himself up, a scowl on his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes. In fact, his eyes looked decidedly … warm. “I’m not calling you Granny. What’s your first name, woman?”
Her mouth flapped, then, “Matilda.” It was almost a simper, complete with fluttering eyelashes.
“You must have been young when you had Mina’s mother,” he murmured, drawing her off to the side and setting off in the direction the others had taken.
“And she was young, too, I’ll have you know.”
“I can tell. You barely look a day over sixty.”
“Charmer.”
Their voices faded.
Liam took one look at us, grinned, then darted off. “I’m glad you’re okay!” he threw over his shoulder.
Catching her hands, which were planted on her hips, I tugged her closer. “I’m sorry.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t trust me!”
“It’s not that,” I started, then stopped. Was it that? Hadn’t I trusted her? I tried to remember, but it all seemed like it had happened a year ago, the events of the last couple of days blurring until all I could remember was how it felt to be with her, to hold her and talk to her. And love her. I’d always trusted her, from the first moment I laid eyes on her beautiful face. “I didn’t want my situation to affect your decision.”
The hurt faded a touch. “Your situation?”
I took a deep breath, letting the words spill out of me, “My mom left us when I was a baby. She decided she’d had enough one day and walked away, never looked back. My Dad raised me on his own. A gorilla raising a bear cub.”
She touched a finger to my cheek, running it down the side of my face. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I softened the words by catching her finger and placing a kiss on the very tip. I didn’t want her sympathy, only her understanding. “When I realized that you were … unused to inter-species matings, I was worried that you’d see my family and—”
“Let it affect my decision?”
“Exactly.”
“Cade, your Mom didn’t leave because of what your father is, she left for her own reasons. Ones that I cannot and will never begin to understand, but not because of that.”
I pulled a face, forcing the next words out, “Plus, I’ve been told I have abandonment issues.” I bit the bullet and put it all out there. “I wanted you to choose me. To want me enough to never leave me, and I wanted you to be sure.” Because I don’t think I could survive you leaving.
Her hands came up to my face, gripping my jaw and forcing my eyes back to hers. “Cade Ayers, you stubborn, courageous, generous man. I love you. You could be a gorilla or a fox or a bear or a goddamned hyena and I’d still feel the same. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize the truth and let the past die.” Her voice cracked and she took a deep breath, smoothing her thumb down the side of my jaw as she stared into my eyes. “I’ll never leave you. Ever. You’re all I could think about when trying to escape. You’re my home.”
Happiness exploded inside me, pushing my heart past pounding and into punching out of my chest territory. “You’re sure?”
“That’s not the answer I was looking for,” she replied with a laugh.
Damn it. I crushed my mouth against hers, drinking in the sound of her happiness. “I love you, too, sweetheart. But you already knew that.”
Nipping at my bottom lip, she huffed, “I was kind of hoping so, but a girl likes to hear these things.”
“I’ll tell you every day for the rest of your life.”
“Show me.” Her blue eyes sparkled; the challenge had been thrown down. She cocked an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth twitching. “I hear that you do wonderful things with your tongue when given the right sort of motivation.”
My growl smothered her laughter as I pulled her closer, showing her what else I could do wonderful things with.
I felt her wince against my lips. “Sorry,” she breathed, pain creasing her brow.
“Your tail?”
“Yup. Which is now my ass.” She pulled a comical face.
I smothered a chuckle. “We have all the time in the world. Let’s get you home.”
“I only need a day.”
“Two.”
Her fingers twisted in mine as we walked through the forest. “One.”
“Sweetheart, the second you’re healed I’m claiming you. Don’t you worry.”
Her soft hum of approval was music to my ears.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mina
Two days.
Two whole days of lying around and being waited on hand and foot.
Two days of having Cade cater to my every whim. Except the one whim that I desperately needed him to cater to.
“I’m healed,” I called out for the millionth time.
He didn’t answer. Probably foraging for food in his kitchen. Our kitchen. I’d officially moved in. Well, it hadn’t even been that much of an event. He’d brought me home and I’d stayed. Lucky for me, Leona and Harper had kept me from going mad, popping in and bringing with them wine and gossip. And Julie, of course. Cade had actually stopped hovering over for me for—gasp—two whole hours!
Turns out I’d actually shattered my tail bone and the doctor told me that if I didn’t want a wonky tail for life, I’d better sit still and let it heal all nice and neat.
Yeah, I wished I’d never let Cade sit in on that particular meeting.
I’d gone from sexy future mate to invalid in the blink of an eye.
He didn’t even have the decency to wear a doctor’s outfit, even after repeated requests.
Thumping the pillow behind my head, I gave up and threw it at the wall where it bounced and flopped to the ground with a very unsatisfying whoosh of air.
Didn’t he understand? I’d even shaved my legs this morning, which had involved a lot of guesswork due to the inability to bend completely at the waist yet, though no sharp, stabbing pain, which was a good thing. I’d gone through all that for him!
Snagging the pillow off the floor, he strode into the bedroom, carrying a tray and setting it to the side. Naked from the waist up, muscles rippled and moved under his skin, distracting me from my inner rant like flicking a switch. Damn, he was gorgeous. A droplet of water from an earlier shower made its way down his chest, skirting his nipple and continuing down to his stomach, traversing the line of his abs and continuing down on the happy trail of hair that led down to—
My mouth went dry.
Parched.
Sweatpants hung low on his hips, giving me a glimpse of that sexy V-shape that always had my bottom lip quivering, but that wasn’t what held my attention.
It was the huge tent pole he had going on.
I couldn’t look away. “Uh…”
“You’re healed.” His voice, low and gravelly, twisted things inside o
f me, scrambling and short circuiting my brain.
“I’m healed,” I echoed, peeling my tongue off the roof of my mouth in time to reply.
“Thank fuck,” he growled, yanking at the drawstring holding up his pants and dragging them down. His cock hit his stomach, heavy and thick and deliciously hard. “Do you have any idea how hard it’s been, listening to you beg me to fuck you for two whole days?”
Reaching for him, I closed my hand over his shaft, sliding back and forth over the steel center. “I haven’t begged.”
“Your eyes have.”
“You could have taken care of me in other ways.” With your tongue. Your fingers.
The bed dipped as he crawled up beside me, his hips thrusting into my hand as he groaned. “I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself.”
“From what?”
His hand slid inside my vest top, cupping my breast and pulling it free. Thumbing my nipple, he lowered his mouth, hot breath teasing my skin. “Getting inside you. I want to claim you more than I want to breathe. A single taste and I’d have lost control.”
My back arched, pushing my breast toward his mouth. “Taste me now.”
He ravaged me, sucking my nipple into his mouth, his other hand cupping my other breast, his teeth abrading as he tongued and sucked until it was a stiff peak.
Running my thumb over the head of his shaft, I slid my hand down, spreading my fingers to fit his girth, dragging a deep groan from him as he thrust up, his hand slipping down my stomach and plunging into my panties, his finger unerringly finding my center and driving deep inside me.
I nearly jackknifed off the bed, only his face pressed against my breast restrained me, but nothing could prevent the throaty moan from leaving my lips as I writhed, my hips seeking his hand with every withdrawal, my hand speeding up in its glide over his shaft, hoping to draw the same unfettered reaction from him.
“More.” My demand was met with a dry chuckle, tickling my skin as he let my nipple pop out of his mouth.
“Anything my lady demands.”
It was my only warning.
Firm hands holding me in place, he climbed over me, sliding out of my grasp as his hot mouth traced a path of destruction over my skin, his tongue and teeth leaving a wave of goosebumps in their wake, his hand rocking in and out of me as his mouth lowered to meet where his finger plunged in and out.
His head dipped between my thighs. My panties snapped, falling away as he wedged his shoulders tight between my legs.
Hands fluttering against the bedsheets, I grabbed hold, already skirting the edge of coming apart with only his fingers driving me. My breath sounded ragged and harsh, the colors of the room muted and blurry, my whole existence narrowing down to only one thing: sensation. The feel of his thumb smoothing across my hip, swirling small circles of comfort even as he demanded my body submit and come for him. The sharp intake of air as he scented my arousal up close and personal. The burn in my thighs as my muscles ached from being pushed apart and held.
His tongue swirling through me, wet heat spearing into me, his finger hooking and rubbing inside my body. Fire burning through me. Skin slick as my body juddered and clenched. A scream tearing through the room. From me.
Then he was on me, driving into me without a word, riding the wave of my orgasm with a clenched jaw and love in his eyes. His cock slid home, stretching me beyond anything his finger could have prepared me for, filling me completely as he thrust with a hoarse growl.
But he was holding back. Bracing himself on his arms and holding his body free and clear. Being careful. Gentle.
I dug my nails into his arms. “Harder.”
“You’re—”
“Desperate for you,” I gasped out.
His eyes flash gold, his hips bucking as a shudder ran through him. “Say it again.” A low demand.
I reached up, cupped his neck and dragged him down to me, until our lips were brushing with every dirty murmur, “I’m desperate for you. I need you. Here. Now. I want to feel you. All of you.”
“You’d tell me if I hurt you?”
“Always.” I punctuated my promise by sliding my tongue between his lips, dragging him into a heated kiss. “I promise to tell you everything. No secrets or lies between us.” I smoothed my hand down his back and dug my nails into his ass, riding the flex of his buttocks with every thrust of his hips, as he drove his cock deeper and deeper inside me, each drag of skin against skin sparking a delicious churning in my gut.
“Harder?”
I met him stroke for stroke, our skin sliding as we crashed together, then came apart again. “Harder.”
A mouth bruising kiss, then he lifted off me, fingers digging into my hips. His thrusts sped up, shorter, harder, deeper digs as he held me in place, unable to do anything but take what he offered, his angle dragging over my clit and hitting that sweet spot buried deep inside. His thumb stroked the outer edge of my curls, back and forth, teasing me. So close, but not close enough. So much friction, but not enough. Not quite. Not yet. I needed…
“Yes…” His low rumble had my eyes flashing open, my hand freezing on my stomach, where it had slid down my body with a mind of its own. Driven by a need that buzzed in my head, that I could taste on my tongue.
His hand wrapped around mine, dragging it lower. “Touch yourself, sweetheart.”
My finger slid over my clit, slippery and wet and throbbing and so sensitive I had to bite down on my lip to stop the moan from breaking free.
Strong arms gathered me, pulling me upright. “Look at me.” His growl was against my lips, whispered into my mouth, his hand covering mine and keeping it in place.
Forcing my eyes open past the wave of pleasure crashing through my blood, I met his eyes, saw the satisfaction and desire reflected back at me in his gold hue. “I’m here.” My hips danced as he thrust up into me, my back arching as every part of seemed to melt away.
He groaned, tilting his head. “Bite me, sweetheart. Make me yours.” Take me as your mate.
As the next wave flowed over me, blurring the world, I bit down, hard enough to make the mark that he would carry on his skin for all time, sealing the bond between us, soul to soul. Emotion flooded me, his and mine, all intertwined as we joined together as one. He was mine. Forever.
A sting at the base of my neck, then only pleasure as he thrust again and again, his movements jagged and harsh as he drove into me, his hand pressing my finger down on my clit, again and again, until I fractured, spinning out of control.
His roar deafened me, his back arching and muscles bunching as he filled me, his whole body shaking as he bucked against me, my name spilling from his lips with a reverent whisper that had my eyes stinging. No need for words, we stared at each other. I traced the line of my teeth in his skin, marveling at the sense of rightness that hummed through me. A sense of peace that I’d never known before.
I had taken this man into my heart and made him mine.
And he had done the same.
Together, we would build a life here in Heartsridge, starting with right now.
Epilogue
Mina
One week later…
The walk didn’t take us long and it was worth it, the view across the lightly sloping valley giving the perfect view of the fields and the little farmhouse nestled in the middle, the old, nearly decrepit barn leaning into the light breeze as if fighting the inevitable day it would crumble and collapse. The nose of the lime green tractor poked out of the barn, abandoned after a hard day’s labor, not aware that its time had come.
Cade hugged me back against his hard chest, resting his chin on top of my head as I leaned into him. “Are you okay?” His strength surrounded me, and not just the physical kind. He understood why this was hard for me.
“Foxgloves have lived here for so many generations, Granny can’t even remember for how long.” I watched as the other two people who I loved more than life itself exited the house, Liam carrying boxes over to Cade’s truck and Granny giving dire
ctions. Giving all this up was the only regret I had when it came to my new life. My memories were here, of a childhood filled with laughter and love.
“You don’t have to let it go.” Cade had said this already, but this was the first time I wanted to believe him.
“We need the money to set up in Heartsridge. And, anyway, what would we do with all this land? Visit it? Have picnics?”
“You’d think of something.”
“We would,” I corrected.
“We.” His low contented murmur sent a jolt of lust firing straight through into my stomach. Even after a week of being mated, I still wanted him every second of every single day.
Work roughened hands slid down to my hips, holding me still as his shaft hardened against my ass, as if reading my mind. Yeah, more like my scent.
“I want to keep it,” I blurted out. It wasn’t just the memories. This was a place we could escape to, away from everyone who knew our business. I loved Heartsridge, but that side of it was a little hard to get used to, especially since I’d always had my privacy.
“Then we’ll keep it.” Lips tickled my neck, dragging a giggle from me. “And don’t worry about money. The greenhouse brings in enough to cover it.”
“I can’t take money from your father.”
“Who do you think is his silent business partner?”
I spun around. “You?”
He screwed up his nose, looking a little sheepish. “Actually, you. I transferred everything over. What the fuck do I know about growing stuff?”
His curse didn’t hide the fact that what he’d done was very, very sweet. I opened my mouth, then closed it again. “Thank you.”
“What’s mine is yours.” His gaze lifted over my head. “We’re being summoned.” Sliding his hand over mine, we made our way back down to the truck. Opening the door, he helped me up, though I was pretty sure it was a feeble excuse to cop a feel. He winked, confirming my suspicion. “Are you ready for your party?”