Fae-ted to the Bear: A Wishing Moon Bay Shifter Romance (The Bond of Brothers Book 4)
Page 23
He laughed, a deep rumble in his chest she couldn’t resist. “A whole seven minutes.”
“And the timer already started.”
He caught her in his arms and turned her onto her back. “I can see why you are such an amazing chef. Such attention to detail.”
“A good chef also knows what tastes good.” She kissed his neck as she stroked her fingers over his chest. “Good food is about igniting all the senses. Taste, touch, smell.”
“You smell delicious.” He nestled his body between her thighs and reached down between their bodies, guiding himself inside her.
“And you feel divine.” She tensed around him as he thrust into her.
Caleb lowered his head and captured her mouth with his lips as she wrapped her legs around him, urging him to take her. As her arousal peaked, she forgot all about her busy schedule. If he asked her to, she’d stay here with him for the whole day.
Elise traced the contours of his body, she could never get enough of him, his toned muscles under sun-bronzed skin made her mouth water. She kissed his chest, her tongue curling around his nipple and he inhaled sharply, his breath hissing through his teeth.
She closed her mouth over the taut bud and sucked hard, her teeth grazing his skin and he growled, reminding her of his other side, of his uniqueness.
He thrust into her harder, his breathing ragged as he moved in and out, his skin grazing her skin as they raced toward their orgasm.
He came first, fisting the pillow as he filled her with his essence, setting off a chain reaction in her body. Now that the threat to Zara had passed, they could think about their future, of their life together.
Even if the specter of Murray still hovered over them.
Elise closed her eyes and pushed thoughts of the man who had once hurt her mate to one side. She wasn’t going to let the guy spoil today.
Opening her eyes, she focused on Caleb’s face, on the curve of his smile as he looked down on her, his eyes filled with love. To love and be loved, he’d taught her so much in the few days they’d known each other.
And he’d given her so much more. He’d given her a brighter future, a richer future than she could ever have wished for. Even when she threw her wish stone in the ocean.
Caleb had shown her there was so much to life that she’d never allowed herself to hope for. She’d left the fae realm with one thought, to be a great chef, to find fulfillment in her work.
Meeting Caleb had shown her how narrow her dreams had been.
She loved him with all her heart.
“I’ll go put some coffee on while you take a shower.” He kissed her mouth and slid out of bed, but she caught hold of him and pulled him back toward her.
“Did I ever tell you that I love you?” she asked.
“You did. But I don’t mind hearing it again.” He dropped a soft kiss on her lips.
“I love you.” She smiled up at him shyly.
Caleb brushed her hair back from her face. “And I love you.” He pecked her lips. “Now, go take a shower. Then you can tell me what you need me to do.”
“I get to boss you around, I like that idea.” She jumped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom with a backward glance over her shoulder just to remind herself he was real.
After a quick shower, Elise went to the kitchen, gulped down a cup of coffee, and then set to work on the menu she’d prepared for today. It was intended to show off her flair for flavors and textures, with an accent on fae flavors. She’d used recipes she was familiar with and added subtle changes to them in the hope of impressing Ivan.
However, over the last couple of days, it had become obvious her job at the restaurant was secure, as long as she didn’t blow it. For the first time, Ivan was ready to let go of some of the running of the hotel restaurant and hand responsibility to Elise so that he could spend some time with the dragons at Bear Creek.
Elise wanted to prove to him she was worthy of his trust and was there to support him. He’d lived in isolation from other dragons all his life. It was time he enjoyed some time with others, flying over the mountains with other dragons would be exhilarating.
“Karros and Zara are here.” Caleb was washing lettuce as a car approached.
“I can’t leave the sauce.” Elise glanced down at the sauce in the pan and kept staring.
“They know where to find us,” Caleb assured her.
A few minutes later, her brother knocked at the door and then walked in. “We’re here.”
“I’ve missed you.” Elise turned off the heat and went to Karros, hugging her brother and then Zara before quickly going back to the stove.
“I missed you, too.” He inhaled deeply. “I also missed your cooking.”
“Hey, I can cook.” Zara nudged him in the ribs and then her eyes widened. “But not as good as Elise. It all smells wonderful.”
“Thanks. I hope it tastes good, too.” She stirred the sauce, allowing it to thicken without burning.
“Do you need a hand with anything?” Karros asked. “If not, we’re going to look at the yard. We’re going to spend the next week working on it before we go back to Bear Creek and finish Zara’s house.”
“And then we’re going to come and live here in Wishing Moon Bay,” Zara blurted out excitedly.
“That’s incredible news.” Caleb dried his hands and came to hug his sister.
“We’re going to start a business together. We’ve talked it over with Aunt Harriet and Uncle Peter. I don’t want them to think I’m abandoning them after they’ve done so much for me. But they think it’s a great idea.” Zara reached for Karros’s hand. They looked so happy together and Elise turned her attention to the sauce, so no one saw her tears. Her heart ached with happiness.
“Wishing Moon Bay will be a fresh start for us both.” Karros inched toward the door. “Do you need us?”
“No, you go enjoy the fresh air.” Elise wiped her hand across her eyes then turned around. “Oh! You could set up the chairs and table if you want to help.”
“We can do that.” Karros and Zara left the kitchen as quickly as they arrived.
“Are you okay?” Caleb came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Elise leaned back on his shoulder and nodded.
“A little overwhelmed, that’s all. Only a few days ago, Karros was broken-hearted, now look at him.” She tilted her head back and looked up at her mate. “Now look at us.”
He kissed her cheek. “I couldn’t be happier.”
And yet there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Since he’d dream walked, she’d caught a glimpse of unease in his eyes. He tried to hide it, but his memories of Murray haunted him.
Despite his words, she suspected he needed closure. He needed to know what happened to the man who kidnapped the twins. Even though Murray had no connection to Zara being stalked, Elise suspected there was a lingering fear in Caleb that he might be out there watching them.
“Everyone else is arriving.” Caleb kissed her cheek and went back to washing the lettuce.
“Okay, the sauce is done. Everything else is ready.” She sighed as she mentally went over the dishes she’d prepared.
“It’ll be fine,” Caleb assured her.
“I know. And if it’s not, I’ll just feed everyone some sycombre fruit and they’ll forget all about it.” She fetched plates and set them down on the counter.
“My bear could also eat fermented mushrooms and make a fool of himself. That might leave a more lasting impression,” he offered.
“I’ll bear that in mind, but I think the food is okay.”
“More than okay by the smell of it.” Flora came into the kitchen with a couple of bottles of wine. “The smells remind me of home.”
“I have focused on fae flavors,” Elise said.
“Fae Flavors,” Ivan repeated. “Why don’t we add that to the menu? You can come up with some recipes we could serve at the hotel.”
“Really?” Elise’s cheeks flushed pink with pride.
“Rea
lly.” Ivan picked up the plates. “Shall I take these outside?”
“What else do you need?” Flora offered.
Caleb’s family helped carry the food outside and they were soon seated around the table in the fresh air, eating Elise’s food while enjoying views of the distant mountains.
This was her life now. She only hoped one day her family might join them at the table. Grandma Sylvie had lived up to her promise and her parents were okay with Elise and Karros’s choice of life partners. Not happy, but okay. It was a start.
“You did it.” Caleb leaned across and kissed her cheek.
“We did it.” She cupped his face in her hands.
“Partners.” He held out his hand and she entwined her fingers with his.
“Partners for life.” She shuffled her chair towards his and leaned on his shoulder, sipping wine and watching the happy faces of the people around her.
She was living the dream. A dream bigger than she could ever have wished for.
Epilogue
“Okay. This is it.” Rift pointed to a small house with paint peeling off the doors and windows and moss on the roof. Only the yard looked as if it had received any TLC in recent weeks.
“That’s where the location spell points to?” Caleb ducked his head and looked out of the window.
Oscar had found the box of evidence containing the toy and they had taken the chance and used a location spell in the hope of finding the owner, who in turn might know the whereabouts of Murray.
The location spell had led them here to a rundown part of town a couple of hundred miles away from Wishing Moon Bay. Caleb could only hope today would give them all closure. That he might finally be able to lay to rest the ghost of the man who stole them as children. A ghost who had haunted him for the last couple of weeks.
“Yeah. This is the place.” Rift brushed his hand across his forehead. “Is it me or is it hot in here?”
“No hotter than it’s been for the whole journey.” Elise’s concerned glance made him uneasy.
“You look pale,” Caleb told him bluntly. “Are you feeling all right? You don’t normally get travel sick.”
Rift shook his head. “I’m not sick.”
“I’ll go knock on the door.” Aiden switched off the engine and was about to open the door, but Rift placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder and pulled him back.
“No. I’m going to go knock on the front door. You are all going to stay here. That was the whole point of me coming with you. I’ll go talk to the owner of the toy. I’ll get you some answers.” Rift sucked in a deep breath and got out of the truck, forcing himself to stand on unsteady legs.
“He does not look good,” Flora whispered as Rift took a faltering step forward.
“Maybe we should go with him,” Caleb suggested, already inching toward the door.
“Or maybe we should just let Rift handle it,” Elise replied.
Caleb leaned back in his seat, but his hand rested on the door handle, ready to scramble out of Rift got into trouble.
“I feel like a child,” Aiden rumbled. “We should just go in there.”
“You’re too wound up about all this,” Flora told him. “Rift is calm and…” She stopped talking as Rift rested his hand on the short gate post that marked the boundary of the property. The post wobbled, in danger of falling over and Rift stumbled forward.
“Someone is coming out of the house.” A young child appeared. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with a ball tucked under his arm, he stared at Rift.
“Mom!” The child’s shrill voice was like a shot in the arm to Rift and he jerked his head up.
“Jack!” A woman shot out of the house, grabbed the boy by the shoulder, and pulled him back. Positioning herself between the child and Rift, she placed her feet hip-width apart, her chin jutted out defiantly. “I don’t know who you are, or what you want, but you’re too late.”
“Too late for what?” Caleb hissed.
“I’m looking for…” Rift put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the small toy. “I’m looking for the owner of this toy.”
“What?” the woman asked as if Rift was crazy. And he certainly looked crazy. Or drunk.
“Well, I’m not looking for…the owner. I’m looking for information the owner might be able to give me.” Rift ran his hand through his hair.
“I’d like you to leave. If Reggie owed you money, I’m sorry but you’re too late.”
“Reggie.” Rift paused for a moment. “I was looking for Murray.”
“I can save you some time there, too. My father died years ago.”
“She’s Murray’s kid. She’s the one the toy belongs to,” Aiden said.
“You know what she also is?” Caleb asked as he processed the news that the man who kidnapped them was gone.
“No!” Elise covered her mouth with her hand.
“Okay, what am I missing here?” Flora asked.
“Murray’s daughter is Rift’s mate.” Aiden gripped the steering wheel, the whites of his knuckles showing as his jaw tensed.
“I’m so sorry,” Flora stroked Aiden’s back.
“It’s okay,” Aiden replied. “Just because her father was a bad man, it doesn’t mean she’s like him.”
Caleb nodded in agreement. They might finally find out the truth about what happened all those years ago.
And Rift might also get the family he always wanted, Caleb’s bear said as another child emerged from the house and held hands with the woman who stood defiant and protective in the face of the man who would love her forever. No matter what.
Let’s just hope this doesn’t tear our family apart, Caleb said as he opened the door and got out of the truck. “Come on, I think our brother might need backup.”
Aiden nodded. “Yeah, before he makes a complete fool of himself.”
“Or she shoots him as an intruder,” Elise said. “Because she has ‘don’t mess with me or my family’ written all over her face.”
Rift rolled his shoulders and stood up straight. He was a man who needed to prove himself to his mate. But from her expression, that might be hard, if not impossible.
Other Books By Harmony Raines
Other Books By Harmony Raines
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READING ORDER FOR
Bear Creek Clan and Bear Bluff Clan
Complete Box Set
Or available individually
suggested reading order
(each can be read as a standalone
but why not start at the beginning and get to know all of the characters?)
Rescued by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book One)
Finding Her Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Two)
Tamed by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Three)
Snowbound With The Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Four)
Biker Bear Billionaire (Bear Creek Clan Book Five)
Bound To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book One)
Doctor Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book Two)
Stranded With Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Three)
A Bride for the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Six)
Home Or Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Four)
Fated To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Five)
Lonely Bear (Bear Bluff Book Six)
Wolf Valley Raiders
Complete Box Set Out Now!
Or available individually
suggested reading order
Redeem the Wolf
To Catch A Wolf
Reclaim the Wolf
Awakening the Alpha
Biker Bears
Forbidden Bear
Secret Bear
Christmas Bear Brothers
Complete Box Set Now Available
Or available individually
suggested reading order
Santa Paws
Christmas Catastrophe
Bear Humbug
&
nbsp; Fated and Mated
Love at First Site
Her Scars To Bear
Her Choice To Bear
Her Russian Bear
Who’s the Daddy?
Complete Box Set Available
Or available individually
suggested reading order
One Bear and a Baby
Her Bear and a Baby
Second Chance Bear and a Baby
Baby Protector Bear
Return to Bear Bluff
Complete Box Set Available
Or available individually
suggested reading order
The Bear is Back in Town
His Bear’s Necessity
Black Bear Down
Who Bears Wins
When Bears Collide
Wish Upon A Bear
Cowboy Brother Bears
Complete Box Set Available
Cowboy Bear Blues
Cowboy Bear’s Mate
Cowboy Bear’s Fate
Return to Bear Creek
Daddy Bear
Mountain Bear
Honey Bear
Forever Bear
Storm Bear
Silverback Dragon
P.I. Bear
Doctor Daddy Bear
Bad Boy Bear
Silverback Bear
Ranger Bear
Christmas Bear
Hero Bear
Undercover Eagle
Single Daddy Dragon
Secret Baby Bear
Silverback Wolf
Awakened Dragon
Treasure Bear
Silverback History Bear
River Run Wolf
Silverbacks and Second Chances
Cursed Bear
Lucky Bear
Fated Bear
Song Bear
Blind Date Bear
Christmas Bears
Sleighed
Claused
Wrapped
Shifters Prime Sleeping Lions
Complete Box Set Now Available
Living a Lion
Freeing a Lion
Fighting a Lion
Sci-Fi Romance
The Princess and her Alien Rogue