So the bunny had a thing for her brother…hmmm.
Her cat stretched, rubbing against the inside of her skin, eager to get out and run.
Well now. That was interesting. And she didn’t guess Rafe had the first clue. A smile tugged at her lips and she coughed, passing Jess on the way out the door. As she stepped into the hallway, she turned back to her brother.
“Guys. I have an event booked. Please make sure we have something to show our guests.”
With that, she turned and made her way back toward the main bullpen of the office. A jangle of bells accompanied her partner, Sylvia, through the front door with a blast of frigid air.
Goddess bless, she didn’t much care for winter.
“Hey. How’d it go?”
“Great. Demi’s shop is flourishing and the hunky polar bear shifter she connected with are still as hot as ever.”
“That’s wonderful.” Paige grinned. It was especially amazing when a lead from a friend brought two people together. A little goddess magic never hurt either. Especially for familial relations like Demi.
Sylvia dropped her purse on her desk and looked down with a frown. “Where is Allison? There aren’t any emails.”
“I took care of them already,” Paige responded. “Unless something new came in. Besides, she had an errand to run for the Valentine’s Day party, so I sent her to get us some supplies.”
“Ah. The app launch. How’s that going?”
“Oh…you know. Fine.” Paige wrapped a long strand of hair around her finger and pretended to leaf through some paperwork on her desk. If she made eye contact now, Sylvia would totally know she was lying.
“We’re getting quite the crowd. And I reached out to a friend of mine with ties to the local hospital. She’s donating some flowers and has promised to send some candidate our way for the event.”
“Wonderful.” Sylvia beamed. “I knew you had it all under control. If you need me, I’m going to just run over to Star Pizza and pick us up some lunch. Oh…and make sure a few of the singles are set to attend.”
“Sure.” Paige blinked. Gotta hand it to Sylvia. Her goddess powers were more than just a little amazing. One suggestion and people were putty in her hands. The whole descending from the Goddess of Love thing was really working in both of their favors. Now if she could get the technology angle in place, there wouldn’t be anything they couldn’t handle.
Chapter Two
“Jenna Paulsen, you get your backside back into bed and stop putting chocolate pudding in Mariana’s hair.” Dr. Thomas Merton tried to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth but he was losing the battle.
His wolf chortled at the child’s antics, settling down into the daily routine.
Jenna gave a mock salute and scurried back toward her side of the bedroom, behind the blue curtain. He heard the telltale sounds of the child crawling back into bed and made a mental note to have the nurses look in on the girl a little more frequently.
“And how are you doing today, Mariana?” He wiped at the blob of chocolate pudding on the girl’s forehead.
Kids.
“Can I have some pudding?” The girl asked, her big eyes hopeful.
“Maybe for lunch. It’s still a bit early.”
“Jenna has some.” Mariana crossed her arms in front of her chest, a mutinous expression on her face. Her hair was still mussed from sleep and he was glad he made it in time, or more likely than not, there would have been tears and a whole lot of mess.
Jenna had been a handful these last couple of weeks. But then again, so had Mariana. Their parents were due to come in for a visit this afternoon and for that he was grateful. They made it most days and that was good for the children. It was never good to be sick and alone in a hospital, especially if you were a child.
The flowers he’d brought them from the florist were beginning to wilt. Time to make another trip. Last week he’d gotten four bunches. This week he had gotten four more children added to his care while their doctor was visiting another hospital.
It always brought him joy to visit the florist, and the sexy blonde woman who was the co-owner of the shop. He’d only happened on it by chance a year or so ago when his online order failed and he’d had to find something to cheer up some kids and fast.
Enter Bluebonnets and a jolt to his system when he realized the woman standing behind the counter was none other than the female who’d been haunting his dreams ever since he’d run into her at the hospital two years ago.
Her daughter had been injured in a hit and run with a drunk driver. She had been there with a man he assumed was her husband, but the tension between them was palpable. There were bruises on her face and not, he discovered, from her being in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
The cowardly fucker had been manhandling his wife.
His wolf had taken notice and more than a little.
Mate.
“She’s taken, buddy.”
Protect. Defend.
But even if his wolf didn’t care, he did. It wasn’t right to encroach on a time of grief, especially when she was, in all ways that mattered, taken. Instead, he put all of his energies into his work. He couldn’t prove what he suspected but he did everything he could to save her child. In the end, there wasn’t much he could do. The damage was too great.
Even in her grief, her eyes held his when he told her the news. She’d simply nodded and woodenly walked outside to the garden where he watched helplessly as she dissolved into tears.
He would be surprised if there had been another vehicle involved in the crash at all. There were so many drugs in the man’s system, he had to have been a total wreck when he was behind the wheel. What didn’t make sense was the fact that he was never charged.
While she sat in the garden, he watched them both from the nurse’s station. A dark-haired woman hurried to the husband’s side, enveloping him in an embrace that made his hackles raise.
Faithless bastard.
His lips curled in disgust as he realized the scent on the male was this woman and not his wife.
He wondered just how long it was before the blonde woman realized what had happened. Because he hadn’t smelled him on her since he’d been coming to the shop. And she wasn’t wearing her ring.
She’d gotten into his blood. Even if all he could do was give her a nod each time he came into the shop, at least he could have her in his life.
Such as it was.
The only problem was, she still hadn’t spoken to him. She rang him up, gave the masses of flowers he bought a filthy look, and then turned her back. It boggled his mind.
He needed to see her. Besides, the kids could use some more flowers or balloons.
His wolf perked up, his fur running under his skin.
Settle down.
But his wolf only snorted at him and turned his back.
I can’t approach her yet. She isn’t ready.
His wolf ignored him and started licking himself.
God.
“Doctor…” Mariana tugged on his coat, bringing him out of his internal thoughts.
He checked his watch. It wasn’t even eleven yet.
“I’ll ask them to bring you some with lunch, okay kiddo?”
Mariana huffed and settled back against the pillows. “I guess.”
Thomas grinned. The kid was full of spirit. It would serve her well in the days ahead.
But as he turned back to his rounds, he had one thing on his mind. The blonde haired woman with the bottomless blue eyes.
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Also By Erzabet Bishop
Shifting Hearts Dating Agency Series
Hedging Her Bets
Waking Up Wolf
Kitten Around
Shifting Hearts Dating Agency Collection Books 1-3
Tempting Her Mate: Cider Falls Shifters #1: coming soon
Shifting Hearts Dating App Series
Mistle Tie Me: A Shapeshifter Holiday Romance
Your Wolfish Heart: A Valentine's Day Novella
Also Available in Sweeter Than Chocolate: Valentine's Day Anthology!
Chocolate Moon Cafe
Also Available in The Heart of a Phoenix: A Limited Edition Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Reverse Harem Collection
Bear It All
My Wicked Mates Series
Craving Her Mates
Surrendering to Her Mate
Tormenting Her Mate
My Wicked Mates Series Collection: Books 1-3
Burning For Her Mates: coming soon
Claiming Her Mates: coming soon
Howling For Her Mates: coming soon
Westmore Wolves Series
Wicked for You
Heart’s Protector
Burning for You
Taming the Beast
Mistletoe Kisses
Westmore Wolves Collection, Books 1-5
Beauty and Her Beasts: coming soon
Curse Workers Series
Sanguine Shadows
Map of Bones
(free with newsletter subscription)
Malediction
Arcane
Curse Workers Collection: Books 1-3
Hex : coming soon
The Witching Hour Series
Burning Midnight
The Gibbous Moon Series
Bound in Fire
Sigil Fire Series
Sigil Fire
Written on Skin
Glitter Lust
First Christmas: A Sigil Fire Holiday Romance
The Violet Hour: coming soon
Collections and Anthologies
Holidays and More:
A Lesfic Short Story Collection
Lesfic Tales:
A Lesfic Short Story Collection
Sapphic Holiday Cruise:
A Lesbian Holiday Collection
Sweet Sensations:
A Short Story Anthology
Sinful Sweets Series
The Gingerbread Man: A Holiday Romance
Sugar Cookie: A Springtime Romance
Root Workers Series
Bayou Shadows: coming soon
Standalone Novels
Snow: A Shapeshifter Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance
About The Author
Erzabet Bishop is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of over forty paranormal and contemporary romance books. She lives in Houston, Texas, and when she isn’t writing about sexy shifters or voluptuous heroines, she enjoys playing in local bookstores and watching movies with her husband and furry kids.
Mistle Tie Me (Shifting Hearts Dating App Book 1) Page 5