Teagan smiled; it was a comfort that Fiona spoke in that way. What we will do. It made Teagan realize she was not on her own. And never would be while Fiona was around, even though she was an adult and no longer in need of Fiona’s care. But once you were one of Fiona’s kids, you were always one of Fiona’s kids.
Like it or not. Teagan smiled as she watched Fiona pull the door closed behind her; the old dragon had been a good friend through the trials of growing up and learning to be a shifter. And yet, she remained something of an enigma to everyone.
As Teagan turned her attention to an article she was writing on the merits of the mountain, the phone rang. Hoping it might be a new story that would take her out of the office on such a beautiful day, she said, “Hello, Bear Creek News, Teagan speaking.”
“Hi, Teagan,” Fern’s voice said down the phone. “I thought I’d let you know there is a calamity in the works.”
“A calamity?” Teagan asked.
“Yes, there is a herd of cows on the road into town.”
“And that is interesting because…”
“They are heading into town, fast.” In the background, Teagan could hear shouting and a horn blaring.
“Where are you, Fern?”
“I’m on the road into town too,” she said, sounding amused. “Heading south. Oh my, the view is incredible.”
“Why?” Teagan asked, grabbing her purse and her jacket and running out of the door.
“Because someone called the fire department.”
“The fire department. For the cows?” Teagan asked, getting into her car.
“Yes, they are trying to head them off, there’s kind of a stampede going on.” She gasped. “The cows are not having it. They must have heard Mrs. Closh has cupcakes on sale.”
“She does?” Teagan asked, wondering if she had time to stop there before she reached the calamity. The fire department might be very grateful for a few dozen cupcakes. All in the name of journalism, of course; Teagan was trying to expand her informants. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the possibility that Cal would be there, all hot and sweaty.
She giggled. Cows on the road were only marginally better news than cupcakes on sale, but firemen—in the hot sun, they might have to strip down to cool off after all that herding.
“Hey, whatever is going through your mind, I can tell you it is nothing compared to what is unravelling in front of me.” Fern lowered her voice. “There is more than one fireman with his shirt off.”
“What?” Teagan screeched. Was Cal one of those firemen?
“You should come and see. It would make quite a story.”
“OK, I’ll call Nev and see if he can come and take some photos. Cows in Bear Creek town center are much more amusing with pictures.”
“If Nev comes, you should tell him to take pictures of the firemen instead. They are hot!” Fern stated.
“You are a married woman,” Teagan said.
“Hormones,” Fern answered. “Be quick.”
Teagan drove as fast as she dared, talking to Fern on her hands-free phone. The traffic through town was slow, and then ground to a halt leaving Teagan sitting right outside the bakery. “You are right, the cupcakes are on sale.”
“A perfect day for a pregnant married woman, then. Eye candy, and cupcakes.”
“I don’t see the cows,” Teagan said, ducking her head to try to get a glimpse of what was holding up the traffic.
“Then you might have to make do with cupcakes,” Fern said.
“I don’t understand.” Teagan looked at the bakery. There was Fern, Theo, and Cal. “Oh my.”
“Oh my what?” Fern asked. “Are we oh-mying the cupcakes, or the firemen?”
“Just one fireman in particular,” Teagan said breathlessly.
“Really?” Fern asked. “This fireman?” She pointed to Cal, who waved; he was in on Fern’s little joke.
“Oh yes.” Teagan put her hand up to wave back at Cal, who had a big grin on his face. “I see you’ve met my mate.”
“I have. Theo bumped into Cal, and they were catching up when he told us the news,” Fern said.
The traffic cleared and Teagan drove forward, then backed into a parking space. Getting out of the car, she smoothed her skirt and ran her fingers through her hair before walking to join the others.
“What can I get you?” Cal asked. “My treat.”
“Chocolate with sprinkles, thanks,” Teagan said, blushing as Theo and Fern looked at her speculatively. “What?”
“Nothing. We’re happy for you,” Theo said. “And we thought a double date might be a good idea.”
“A double date. Sounds good,” Teagan replied. “If that is OK with you, Cal.”
“It is.” Cal passed her the cupcake. Teagan wanted to rip open the box and eat her sugar fix, because just being around Cal made her insides all squirmy—in an intensely good way, of course.
“That’s settled, then,” Theo said, putting his hand on Fern’s baby bump in an ever-so-protective kind of way that made Teagan’s heart melt.
“You two are the cutest couple I have ever seen,” Teagan told them.
“Cute?” Theo repeated. “I don’t think I have ever been cute in my life.”
“You are now,” Teagan said.
“I may have second thoughts about asking you to work with me,” Theo said. “I no longer trust your judgment.”
“Yes, you do,” Fern told her husband. “And I like being cute. I like us being cute.”
“And what the pregnant lady wants, the pregnant lady gets,” Teagan said.
“Don’t encourage her,” Theo said. “I’m waiting for the middle of the night run to town for ice cream phase to hit.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t happen. Your dad has stocked up on all my favorite things,” Fern said.
“Good old Walt,” Teagan said. She was still holding her cupcake, not wanting to eat it there and get chocolate all over her face. Not when Cal was so close.
“He is looking forward to the baby,” Fern said. “And that reminds me. I have to help him with the bees, since Theo is too busy.”
Theo looked at his watch. “I have to go too. I have to see a man about a ferret.”
“A what?” Cal asked. He was just finishing up his donut, which had left sugar all over his lips. Kissing it off was starting to consume her mind.
“A ferret, don’t ask.” He kissed Fern. “I will see you later.”
“OK, shall I make the reservations?” Teagan asked.
“Yes. Sure. I’ll catch you later.” Theo got into his car and drove off.
“Are you sure we are not going to cramp your style?” Fern asked after he had gone. “You two might want some time alone.”
“No,” Teagan said, a little too fast. “We’d love to have dinner with you.”
“Great, text me the reservation details.” Fern kissed her cheek and said goodbye to Cal, then she walked away.
“Is it OK with you?” Teagan asked.
“It is. I’m trying to slip back into the Bear Creek community, and who better to do that with than two journalists: you can give me the low-down on everything.”
“No, we have our sources to protect,” Teagan said, poker-faced.
“Professional integrity. I can’t disagree with that.”
“It’s highly confidential stuff.”
“I can only imagine.”
“Yes, you do not find out the secret ingredient in Mrs. Malone’s strawberry jam unless your sources know they will never be revealed.”
“The mind boggles.” Cal crossed his eyes, putting on a crazy face.
“It should.” She faced him, still holding the cupcake.
“You could eat that, you know.”
“I will. When there is no one around to see me get it all over my face.”
“I could lick it off for you.”
“Thanks for the offer.” She looked around. There were people walking along the street, and there was no way she was going to put on that ki
nd of a display and end up with her own face plastered across the newspaper. Things would get indecent pretty quick, she suspected, if any licking was going on. “Maybe tonight. After dinner?”
Cal looked taken aback. “I would love to lick chocolate frosting off any part of your anatomy.”
“After dinner.” She blushed. “Maybe.”
“Are you wimping out, Teagan?” Cal joked.
She began to back away from him, a sudden hot flush sweeping over her. “Maybe.”
“Then I’ll make it my sole goal to sway you towards a yes.” He slid his tongue out, and licked the sugar off his lips. Teagan tried not to stare, and tried even harder not to think of Cal’s tongue licking her body. Was it suddenly hot?
“I look forward to it,” Teagan said, and then darted for her car. Once inside, she started the engine and put the AC on, because it was too hot. Much too hot!
Fanning herself, she looked in her rearview mirror to see Cal walking down the street away from her. He had an ass to die for. Her brain conjured up the sight of him naked in her room, and the heat in the car increased. Tonight, she might just have to give in to her urges to mate with him, before it drove her insane.
Chapter Eight – Cal
“These are for you.” Cal pulled a big bouquet of flowers out from behind his back, and presented them to Teagan.
“They are beautiful.” Teagan took them, and kissed him on the cheek. He inhaled her scent: perfume, something with a hint of jasmine if he wasn’t mistaken, mingled with the unique scent of her skin.
“So are you,” he murmured, kissing her neck. She shivered, and turned her face to his. Cal raised his head and captured her lips, tasting her, teasing her with his tongue. “Damn, I wish we had said no to this double date.”
He slid his hand over her right breast, feeling the taut bud of her nipple through her thin summer dress. Now that the rain had cleared they were left with a high level of humidity. If they didn’t have reservations, he would have suggested they went bear, or bare, he was happy either way, to go find a nice cool river to swim in.
“I should put these in water,” Teagan said, stepping away from him. He watched her go, admiring the sway of her hips, emphasized by the pale blue fabric of her dress that kissed her body. She looked beautiful in it, but she would look even better out of it. Naked, sprawled beneath him on the bed.
“Are we meeting Theo and Fern at the restaurant?” Cal asked, dragging his mind out of the bedroom with some reluctance.
“We are,” Teagan called from the kitchen.
Cal followed her voice, confident he now had his arousal semi–under control. “And after?”
“And after what?” Teagan asked.
“Your place or mine?”
“Oh.” She blushed as she filled the vase with water. “I guess I should pack an overnight bag if we’re going to your house.”
“I have a spare toothbrush, and you won’t need any clothes.” He came up behind her and put his arm around her waist, pulling her back against his body. He was hard, and he moved in small minute circles, touching her lightly, wanting her to know how difficult it was going to be to hang on until later to make love to her.
“I’m supposed to look after the house,” she stated, leaning back against him, her head resting on his shoulder as his lips kissed her neck.
“Then we come back here.” His hands roamed her body, and she squirmed against him. “And take things slow.”
Teagan placed the vase down on the counter, and turned in his arms, her face close to his, lips within kissable distance. “Very slow.”
“Very, very, slow.” He kissed her neck, his fingers dragging the neck of her dress down so that he could trace the hard contour of her collar bone, while his hands massaged her soft flesh. Such contradictions, hard and soft. “Hmm. I think we should go.”
Teagan slipped her hand down between their bodies. “I think you might be right.” Her hand curled around his hard shaft, squeezing, teasing, questing.
He groaned, and closed his eyes, leaning into her, his teeth nipping her skin. He wanted her, he wanted to lean her over the kitchen table and take her here in the expensive bespoke kitchen. He wanted to plunge into her heated depths and pleasure them both, right here, right now. “Fuck.” His voice was hoarse as her fingers ran up and down his cock.
“Later,” she said, her eyes dilated as she locked him with her gaze. But she didn’t stop, her fingers exploring his hardness, moving lower to cup his balls.
“OK.” Cal placed his hand over hers. “Unless you want me to come in my pants, you are going to have to stop.” He sighed as she removed her hand.
“I’m ready when you are,” she said, flashing him an innocent smile. Did she have any idea what she did to him? Her request that they take it slow led him to believe she had never been with a man before. Taking her over the table was not how he wanted to make love to her the first time. But the second time, or the third… Cal had lots of out of the bedroom ideas of where he would like to claim his mate. On top of the mountain was another one…
OK, he had to stop thinking about sex; they were about to go out to dinner with a married couple. He would much prefer it if he didn’t look like a horny schoolboy with uncontrollable urges.
Teagan fetched a wrap, and he waited by the front door for her to return. “I heard from Carter and Caroline,” she said as they left the house. “They will be home in two days.”
“Does that mean you can move in with me?” Cal asked. He kept his voice light, as if it were a joke, but he would have no objections to Teagan moving into his house.
“You don’t think it’s too soon?” Teagan asked, disregarding his humor.
“You see right through me, don’t you?”
“I’m a journalist. And I’m good at it because I am pretty good at figuring out what people are not saying, as much as what they are saying.”
“You have empathy. That’s a good trait to have.” He opened the truck door for her and she got inside, settling herself in the passenger seat.
“My foster parents taught me to watch people, and understand their bodies as much as their voices.” She blushed, and ducked her head. “Not in that way.”
“What? I didn’t say a word,” Cal protested.
“But you were thinking it,” she accused.
“I was thinking that you are welcome to understand my body anytime.” He grinned as he shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side. “But, truly, empathy is a gift. Even in the fire service, we need to empathize with the people we help. We see them at their most vulnerable. Whether they are stuck in a vehicle and need cutting out, or their homes are on fire. We can’t look at it as if it is a job. It’s more than that.”
“Maybe I should interview you for the paper,” Teagan suggested.
“Not me.”
“Why not?” Teagan asked. “You don’t strike me as a shrinking violet.”
“I’m not. But what I am is new back in town. The guys I work with might think it strange if the new boy gets all the publicity.”
“True. So who else?” Teagan asked, her journalist head well and truly on her shoulders as they reached the restaurant.
“The chief. He’s been there for years.” Cal parked the truck and switched off the engine, pausing for a moment before he got out. “I was going to ask if you know him, but I forget you haven’t lived here too long.”
“So you knew the chief before you left?” Teagan asked all the right questions, that was for sure.
“I did.” He placed his hand on the door, ready to open it.
“Is he the reason why you left?” Teagan asked. There it was.
“Partly,” he admitted, he pressed his lips together in a tight smile. “I am not doing an interview.”
“Listen, Cal. I told you, even if you have a skeleton in your closet, I am not going to drag it out and put it in the paper.”
“I’m a private person.”
“As am I. I like it here in Bear Creek be
cause we don’t do those tabloid exposés that might ruin someone’s life.”
“He told me I was wasting my time here. He said he had no intention of standing down from his job, but that I should be a chief someday, someday soon.”
“You must have thought a lot of him to follow his advice.”
“I did. I still do. But part of me thinks it was a waste. I moved away, and ended up back here in a lower position than when I left.” Cal shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me, but I get the feeling the chief thinks I should have fought harder to get a promotion, moved on to somewhere with prospects when things didn’t work out. Instead, I came back here.”
“Settling.” Teagan nodded.
“That just about sums it up.” Cal glanced at the restaurant. “There’s Theo and Fern, pretending not to watch us.” He turned to Teagan and said, “Maybe they think we are arguing.”
“No way, Fern and Theo know I am not the arguing kind.”
“Never?” Cal asked, happy to be off the subject of his mismanaged career.
“Hardly ever.” She shrugged. “My foster parents strike again. They lived by the mantra, never let the sun go down on an argument. So I never did, and then I learned not to get into them in the first place. I have a degree in diplomacy.”
“You are a remarkable woman, Teagan. Have I told you that already?”
“You may have.” She smiled, her hand reaching up to stroke his cheek, and then she leaned in and kissed him. “There, they have something to talk about now.”
“Anytime you want to give people something to talk about is fine with me,” Cal said, as they broke away from each other. His stomach growled, breaking the mood in the truck.
“Sounds as if a certain bear needs feeding.”
“I am starving.” He got out and met Teagan on the sidewalk. “We got a callout right at lunchtime and I didn’t get to eat.”
“You should have said, I could have fixed you something.”
“No, it’s OK, we got back as my shift ended, and I went straight home for a shower.” He looked at her, undressing her with his eyes. “I’m going to make up for it now, a man needs to keep his strength up.”
“I wonder what for?” Teagan asked, slipping past him, brushing up against his body while he held the restaurant door open for her.
Forvever Bear (Return to Bear Creek Book 4) Page 5