by Vella Day
Will shifted. “Are you okay?” he called as he rushed over to her tent, hoping the fabric would block his nakedness.
“Will, is that you?”
“Yes.”
Her flashlight clicked on. She unzipped the tent, stepped out, and threw herself into his arms. She must have been in a daze because she didn’t seem to notice his lack of attire. Despite the cold weather, the embrace caused his dick to stand at attention, which was so uncalled for.
His shifter eyesight could tell she hadn’t been injured, but he still had to ask. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Acacia leaned back. “Why are you naked?”
She sounded more leery than scared.
“I’m a bear shifter.” He hoped his confession didn’t upset her. “It’s what happens after a shift. Only dragon shifters possess the magic to keep on their clothes after the change.”
Her gaze dropped from his face down to his cock and then back up again. “Oh, that’s why I heard another bear out here roar.”
“I wanted to scare away the cub so he wouldn’t hurt you.”
“Thank you. Again. Can I get you something to put on? You don’t want to catch cold.”
He clasped his hands over his cock. “I’d appreciate it.”
Footsteps sounded behind him. He twisted around. Lucas was sprinting toward them, thankfully carrying Will’s clothes.
“What happened?” Lucas asked sounding winded. “Are you okay, Acacia?” He darted a glance at Will and then handed him his clothes.
“I’m just a little shook up now, that’s all,” she said.
Will slipped on his briefs, jeans, and a T-shirt before putting on his shoes and jacket. Once dressed, his pulse slowed a little. “Tell us what happened.”
She looked off to the side. “I was careless. I didn’t see the marshmallows that were hidden behind my backpack at the back of my tent when I was putting the food away. When the bear smelled them, he tried to get in. I thought if I shoved the bag at him he’d leave me alone.”
Will gathered her in his arms. “Don’t worry, we’ll make sure he doesn’t have a reason to return.”
“Lucas, we’ll need to fix her tent. If it rains, she’ll get really wet,” Will said, just as a clap of thunder sounded in the distance. Crap. “Where is your rain fly?” Will asked.
“I used it for the kitchen tarp.”
A lecture about how dangerous the wilderness could be if one didn’t prepare well leapt to his tongue, but he restrained himself. He turned to Lucas. “How about grabbing our roll of tape, while I see what I can do about rain proofing her tent?”
Lucas shook his head. “The tape won’t stick to wet nylon. I think Acacia should move to our campground. She can share our kitchen tarp.”
At least one of them was thinking straight. He turned back to her. “What do you think?”
“Move now?”
Before he could answer, rain began to fall. “Yes. You’re welcome to stay in my tent for the night. I’ll sleep in Lucas’. Tomorrow, we can move the rest of your stuff over and repair your tent.” He worked hard to keep his tone platonic, but he probably failed.
The rain came down in earnest. “I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll take my chances here, thank you.”
He’d look like a cad if he insisted. “Okay. Go ahead and get into your tent so you can stay dry. No use all of us getting drenched. Lucas and I will move over the kitchen fly.”
“Are you sure? I can help.”
“I’m sure.”
With her arms wrapped around her shoulders, she rushed into her tent. Only then did he notice she was barefoot. Acacia must have been freezing, but she’d never complained.
He turned to Lucas. “We need to hurry.”
“I’ll carry the stove and other gear to her tent while you move over the kitchen tarp,” Lucas said.
“Good idea.”
Together, they moved quickly and efficiently, that was until Will attempted to undo the wet knots that attached the tarp to the tree. Crap. He really needed to show her how to tie a hitch knot. Once Lucas transferred her things into her tent, they strung the tarp over her tent. At least that would keep her fairly dry for the night.
From the way she’d been shaking, Acacia was scared, but to her credit, she didn’t complain or cry. Tomorrow would be soon enough to discuss her reality.
Will peeked his head into Acacia’s tent. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay for the night?”
“I will be, and thank you. I checked, and I have no food in here.”
“We’ll take the half-eaten bag of marshmallows and dispose of them.”
She smiled. “I appreciate that.”
“See you tomorrow then.”
“Yup, and thanks again for coming to my rescue.”
“Anytime.”
As soon as the men left, Acacia blew out a breath. Part of her was rather proud for not teleporting out of the tent away from the bear. If she hadn’t been there to shout at the animal, and then hand him the food, no telling if she’d have had a tent in the morning.
She could have used her magic, but then how would she have explained to the men where she’d been during the attack? Taking a pee at three in the morning? Possibly.
Her mind was still spinning from seeing Will naked. That event had truly affected her brain. Over her extensive lifetime, she’d seen many naked men, but none had been that fine. She loved muscles, but not ones earned in the gym. A sleek, toned body, turned her on, and Will fit the bill. At first, she hadn’t wanted to consider he might be her mate because she’d never been told she’d be given one. But now? Will turned her on like no one before ever had. He must be fated for her. Or was the lust coursing through her a result of seeing him in his natural state? Acacia smiled. She might have screamed a little too loudly when that bear came to her tent, but she wasn’t sorry that Will had come to her rescue—or rather Will’s bear had shown up. Her only regret was not having caught a glimpse of Will in his animal form. She bet he was huge and impressive as a bear. The cub attacking her tent sure seemed afraid of him.
Even though she was warm in her sleeping bag, she doubted she’d be able to sleep. The side of her tent was flapping hard in the wind making way too much noise. Even though there was a tarp on top, hard driving rain was still coming in.
Because her hair was wet and cold, she wrapped her rain jacket around her head. Immediately, the warmth soaked into her skin. Should she have taken Will up on his offer to sleep in his tent? Possibly. But she wasn’t the type to inconvenience someone for her own gain.
Acacia reminded herself she was here for relaxation and some reflection. Becoming involved with anyone would defeat her goal. Then again, Will was from her hometown, making a long-term relationship possible.
In the end, she decided to stay put in her own campsite for the duration of her stay. If she had been in the same one as Will, she wouldn’t have been able to sleep at all. She might even have been tempted to call out to him. He’d come running, asking what was wrong. If she told him that she was cold, she bet Will would have offered to keep her warm—skin to skin. One thing would lead to another, and bam! In no time, they’d be having mind-blowing sex.
Mmm. That sounded divine right about now. His warmth, his heat, his big cock—and it was a big one—would be wonderful. When she had hugged him outside her tent, his dick had grown hard in a flash. Bear shifters certainly were well endowed.
Should she even entertain the idea of engaging in something so pleasurable when it was sure to end in heartbreak for her and maybe for him? Hmm. There wouldn’t be any heartbreak if they were fated for each other. But what were the chances of Fate granting her a mate after all these years?
Acacia had always been the practical one in the family, but she also was quite aggressive—after Poppy, that is. Would Acacia enjoy being with Will? Absolutely! But what if she only thought he might be her mate and then she learned he wasn’t?
Will would know though. He was a shifter.
So, what should be her next move? Wait for him to kiss her? Damn. She’d spent over ninety years being immersed in the lives of mates, and none had had this kind of dilemma. Surely, something would happen in the next eleven days that would give her a clue regarding what to do. Right?
She could only hope.
Chapter Five
When Acacia awoke the next morning, the floor of her tent was filled with about a half inch of water. Crap. It was damp out, meaning she’d have a hard time drying out her gear. Needless to say, the bottom of her sleeping bag was soaked through despite having a foam pad underneath.
With a lot of effort, she changed out of her damp pants, shivering the whole time. One thing she’d learned from this excursion was that she enjoyed the warm climate of Avonbelle—and sleeping inside.
Even though it was still humid from the rain last night, she had to venture out to boil water for her morning tea. Acacia must have been too pissed to pay close enough attention to where she was stepping, because when she lifted her leg over the lip of the tent, her foot caught and her forward momentum catapulted her straight into a mud puddle.
Her outstretched arms caught her before her face hit the dirt, but her knees and hands didn’t fare as well.
“Seriously?” she nearly shouted.
Okay, this human stuff was a lot harder than she thought, but she was determined to see it through. From her knees down, she was covered in mud. Her hands up to her elbows were encased in filth. While she wanted a cup of hot tea worse than anything, she had to clean up first.
When she stood, her hair fell into her face. Without thinking, she brushed it out of the way, distributing more of the mess.
“Hey,” said a deep rich voice. “What happened?”
Shit. It was Will. “I was just taking a mud bath.” She ran her palms down her cheeks. “It’s really good for my skin. You should try it sometime.”
Will laughed and shook his head. “I’ll pass.” He ran his gaze down her body. “Where are your shoes? It’s not safe walking around barefoot, you know.”
Her shoes weren’t in the tent; they were outside, probably floating in some puddle. “I was actually leaving my tent to find them.”
“Stay where you are. I’ll locate them. You don’t need any more mud baths today.”
Funny man. “I set them outside the front of my tent. I hope some animal didn’t take them.
Will moved a plastic bag. “Here they are.” He then looked inside her tent. “It’s flooded.”
“The rain fly failed.”
“No, the water seeped in from below. We’ll have to clean it up.” He picked up her shoes. The socks she stuck inside were quite wet. “Do you have another pair?” he asked.
“In my backpack.”
Will entered her tent, apparently not caring if his shoes got wet. He came out with her backpack and set it on a dry log. “You need to change.”
“You might not care about being naked in front of a stranger, but I’m not undressing in front of you.”
His mouth opened. “I would never suggest that. That’s what big trees are for.”
Now she felt small. “Oh. I’ll clean up a bit first and then change.”
“Come on. I’ll help.”
Before she could tell him she was perfectly capable of cleaning up herself, he grabbed a kitchen towel that had been under the rain fly and then swooped her up in his arms. His hard chest caused her arms to glow again, though it was rather difficult to see beneath the mud. Her body sure heated from his touch. “What are you doing,” she asked.
“Sticks and rocks can cut, and you don’t have your shoes.”
The trip to the river was a short one—way too short. He set her down.
“I’m not going for a swim.”
“You couldn’t if you wanted to. It’s only one foot deep. Step into the river and wash off.”
Careful to avoid the slippery rocks, Acacia waded into the freezing water up to her mid calves. “How do the fish stand being this cold?”
He laughed. “I don’t think they mind. Just be thankful it’s not the middle of winter.”
Even though Acacia was able to wash her arms and legs, her wet, muddy clothes would make it impossible to stay clean. There was only one thing to do. Sit down, which she did. Oh, holy hell. Before her heart stopped from the cold, she rubbed clean her pants, splashed water on her face, and jumped up.
“Brr, brr, brr.”
Will laughed again. “Come on out and let me dry you.”
While she could perform that task too, it would be nice to have his hands on her body.
Will helped her onto the bank. Acacia shivered as she stood there dripping wet. He ran the cloth up and down her arms and then handed it to her. “Dry your face.”
She did, but it was her lower body that needed most of the attention. “I’ll never dry completely.”
“I have a plan.” He took the towel from her and then once more lifted her into his arms. Halfway back to the camp, he detoured through the woods, stopping at a large tree. He tossed down the towel. “Step on this, and don’t move. I’ll get your backpack and shoes. I’m sure you can figure out what to do from there.”
“Yes, thank you.” Most of her thoughts involved magic, but she had to refrain.
Will returned with her pack and rather muddy wet shoes. “Once you wear the shoes for a few hours, they will dry.”
“Thank you.”
He turned around and headed back to her campsite. When he was out of sight, she located some warm, clean clothes and another small towel. As fast as she could, Acacia ditched the dirty clothes, dried off, and redressed. Thankfully, her wet pants didn’t look too bad now that she’d more or less cleaned them in the stream.
With her backpack slung over her shoulder and her wet clothes in hand, she made it back to her tent. Will must have taken down her bear bag of food because it was now sitting next to the stove. Noise from the direction of the stream implied he was getting water. Bless you, Will King.
She wasn’t all that convinced her clothes would dry in the damp air, but she hung them on a tree branch just in case.
“You said you liked tea, right?” Will asked as he carried her pot over to the stove.
“Yes.
He set it on the burner and lit it. “While the water boils, we’ll need to take stuff out of your tent in order to clean it.”
“This is a nightmare.”
Will said nothing, probably because if he did, it would be to chastise her for going camping without taking the necessary precautions.
She dragged out her sleeping bag and pad. “I’m not sure where to put it.”
“I’ll take down the bear bag rope so you can use it as a clothesline.”
He was so sweet. While she waited for him to do that, she hooked the sleeping bag on a broken tree limb. The pad she held.
Two minutes later, Mr. Camper had a clothesline strung between two trees. “Let’s put the pad and bag on this until we figure out what to do with them.”
She carried them over, and he helped her arrange them on the line. Will looked over at the stove. “The water is boiling.”
“Thank goodness.” She fixed her drink. “I’d offer you some, but I only have one cup.”
He smiled. “I’m good.” Will stood. “I’m going to ask Lucas to come over and help. Cleaning a tent takes two people.”
She would have argued, but he knew best. “Thank you. Again.” It seemed to be her refrain.
As soon as Will ran back up the hill to the path that went to his site, Acacia needed to survey the condition of the rest of her campsite. Holding the warm cup in her hands, she walked around. Large puddles had pooled in many places, so much so that it would be unusable until it dried out—whenever that would be.
No sooner had she finished her tea than Will and Lucas showed up. “Your campsite is quite unusable until it dries,” Will said.
“I know.”
“Our site is a lot higher and drier. Our o
ffer of you staying with us still stands.”
“Higher and drier sounds really good about now. I’ll pack my things.” And set up my tent so I won’t inconvenience you.
Will smiled, and Acacia almost melted. What was wrong with her?
“Sounds good,” he said.
She removed the few remaining items from her tent and placed them on one of the few dry spots.
Lucas lifted her backpack onto his shoulder, and then nodded to her soggy sleeping bag and pad slung over her clothesline and grimaced. “Let me take these back to our camp.”
“Thank you.” She’d probably end up dropping one or both of them if she tried.
Once she packed up her kitchen gear, she went to help Will. He’d already dismantled the tarp and was removing the poles from the tent. “I can finish doing this. I don’t mind carrying it over to your campsite.”
“Not going to happen. You need help, and I’m here to do just that, but you can help me fold the rest of the tent poles,” he said.
Will was a stubborn one. He reminded her of the Guardians she worked with back in Avonbelle. They protected everyone.
“I can do that.”
Will turned back to the chore at hand. She’d definitely be ditching the dirty, torn tent before she flew home. It was ruined.
Once the tent poles were placed in their storage bag, Will lifted up the tent. Brown water poured out of it. “Why don’t you take the poles over to our camp? I’ll deal with this.”
Moving her gear would take several trips. “Okay. I’ll hurry back.”
With her arms full of the heavy tent poles and her cooking pot, she headed up the trail. When she stepped into Will’s significantly drier campsite, her backpack was under their kitchen tarp, and her sleeping bag and pad were hung across another line. Acacia carried her tent poles and pot to the kitchen area and set them down.
Lucas came out of his tent and smiled. “I was just heading back over to help Will with the tent,” he said.
“I’ll join you.”
Together, they walked down the trail side by side, as if this were a typical Sunday stroll. “Did you sleep at all?” he asked. “The winds were rather strong.”