My Heart's Passion

by Elizabeth Lapthorne

  Last night had been so full-on, so intense she had felt the need to be alone for an hour or two this morning. It had seemed every time one or both of them had turned around they were caressing each other, Samuel would be suckling her nipples or she would be stroking his shaft.

  She had no problem with their intense lovemaking—it was more she needed a breather, needed to clear her head. With Samuel thrusting inside her, or even laying calmly beside her in his huge bed, everything was jumbled. She couldn’t possibly think straight.

  And so she had pleaded exhaustion—which was truth—and decided to take a drive. She hadn’t gone with any direction or intention, she just needed some air. She had ended up back in the small village she recalled passing on her way to Mary and Dominic’s cabin.

  A few small shops and a scattered bunch of houses made up the small village. She remembered wishing she could stop at the café for a bite to eat on first passing through, but it had been closed at the late hour she passed.

  Now seemed the perfect time to pop in and drink a cup of tea and contemplate the world.

  Sighing, she took another sip, wondering where the waitress had gone off to. It was admittedly quite early in the morning, but looking around the shop, Chloe realized it was just she and a very old looking woman sitting over in the other corner of the shop. No one else could be seen.

  As her eyes fell on the old woman she lifted a hand and waved Chloe over to her. Mentally shrugging, she picked up her cup and the pot of tea and headed over. Even though she really wanted to think her situation through, conversely she didn’t really feel like being alone.

  Chloe grinned. Sometimes she just couldn’t be pleased.

  Setting the pot down in the middle of the old lady’s table, Chloe gently put her cup down and sat opposite the lady. Noticing the other diner’s empty cup, she offered, “Would you like a nice hot cup of English Breakfast, ma’am? I have a pot here.”

  The old crone smiled happily. Her eyes were the very palest blue Chloe had ever seen, and very slightly cloudy. The sparkle inside them, however, was sharp.

  “I would love a cup, dear. That silly young chit has gone out back to talk to her lover, so it will be a while before she gets back.”

  Chloe happily poured the other woman a cup of tea, grateful to be sharing the huge pot.

  “I’m so glad, I was wondering how I would drink the lot of it. I’m Chloe by the way—Mary Rutledge’s cousin.”

  “I know who you are, dear. I’m Old Mona. Been around these parts forever. You’re that rascal Samuel’s mate, aren’t you?”

  Chloe blinked, not knowing what to say and still be polite. Taking a sip of tea instead, she pondered her responses. Old Mona seemed like such a nice old woman, she didn’t want to upset her by trying to explain the more modern concept of taking a lover.

  “Umm…I’m more of a casual acquaintance actually.”

  Mona waved her hand as if to cast the lie from the air.

  “Oh posh! You’re not merely lovers. Women have been taking on lovers for centuries, my dear. There’s nothing new in that. But finding a mate, now that is a rarer occasion. Particularly finding one’s True Mate, one’s heart’s passion. That takes a mixture of patience, determination, and pure luck.”

  Chloe felt a niggling worry at the term “True Mate” and “Heart’s Passion”. It was well and good to realize she finally had found a heartfelt passion for teaching, and wanted to truly make her career out of it. But to associate such strong terms to a man who had easily had over a hundred lovers in his life, and had never felt the need to commit to any of them, that was a lot scarier.

  Almost as if she had read her mind, Mona put down her cup of tea and leaned forward. Chloe had the distinct impression the old woman wished to shake her like a silly five-year-old.

  “Don’t be crazy, my dear. Men have always played the field, or ‘sowed their wild oats’ as we called it in my day. Once they find The One, they settle down and become respectable men, or a whole lot more respectable than the rogues they were. All those Rutledge boys have turned out beautifully, even if they were hellions as children and teenagers. Everyone despaired of them when they caroused well into their late twenties and in Dom and Samuel’s case—early thirties.”

  The old lady shook her head, but Chloe noticed a twinkle in her eye.

  “Only their Grandpa Zach and I didn’t worry about them. Those boys had been through enough—they deserved their time. And both he and I remembered well how one’s True Mate merely pops up when one least expects it. You can’t force something like that. We knew that sooner or later those boys would meet their match, and who were we to try and force them down a path they didn’t want?”

  Chloe frowned, only understanding a bit of the conversation, and not having a clue where it was leading.

  “And so, young lady, you have some decisions to make.”

  “Me?” she queried.

  Mona rolled her eyes, not unlike how Mary often did when she was being most dense.

  “No, the ghostly spirit over there in the corner. Of course you, girl!” With the way this conversation was going, Chloe turned around to look behind her, half expecting some ghostly specter to be fluttering in the corner. Thankfully for her sanity, nothing was there.

  “Well,” she started, feeling strangely safe talking to this woman, “I had expected to take some time out up here. I needed to find a passion for something in my work. I’ve been casting about for years now, just flitting from one job to the other. None of them really touched me, deep in here,” she rested one hand over her chest, near her heart.

  Feeling a bit silly, she picked up her cup and sipped her tea again. Realizing the cup was empty, she poured another, refilling Mona’s at the same time.

  Carefully replacing the half-empty pot, she lifted the thin china to her lips and took a sip.

  “While weeding yesterday, I finally hit upon teaching. I subbed for a friend last semester, and really liked it, but I think I’d prefer the younger kids. Get them to love learning and teach them how to deal with life and all it throws at you. I really think it could be a passion, but at the same time I’m not sure if I should go back to college to get the diploma.”

  Mona nodded as she drank her tea, patiently waiting for her to work through her thoughts.

  Chloe squirmed, instinctively knowing what Mona was waiting for.

  “I feel very deeply for Samuel… Umm…he’s a great guy…but…umm…”

  Mona put her cup down and rolled her eyes.

  “Oh for goodness sake, girl! The youth of today! He won’t bite you, not unless you ask nicely. He’s an upstanding, decent man. He’s certainly half in love with you, and quite possibly pacing his floor as we speak trying to convince himself to take a risk on you. It’s a bit different for us wolves. We feel the mateship bond a lot more intensely than you humans do. We can’t just put it off or talk ourselves out of it.”

  Obviously picking up on how rattled Chloe was becoming, the old lady sat back and picked up her tea again. Sipping it thoughtfully, she started again.

  “How about we make a deal? You think about whether you can take a chance on the boy, and give him a chance when he talks to you?”

  Chloe chuckled and drank the last of her tea. “Are you considered the town’s matchmaker?”

  Mona chuckled, obviously picking up the teasing quality in her voice.

  “Not at all child, I’m considered the Pack’s interfering old lady. I don’t limit myself merely to matchmaking. I interfere in every aspect of their lives. I grouch when they don’t eat properly, when they carouse and make fools of themselves, and when the young ones don’t treat their passing fancies right.”

  Chloe laughed outright. Pouring the remaining tea into their now empty cups, she replaced the pot and sat back.

  “I bet the Rutledge men just loved you!”

  The old lady chuckled, the gleam in her eye more pronounced.

  “Those young lads still cringe and stand taller when they se
e me coming. They fix their jeans when they’re with their mates and inevitably hold their babies so I can’t demand a hello kiss. They’re a big bunch of babies. Their wives are good girls though, your Mary included. They spoil me rotten, and the babies are gorgeous.”

  Chloe smiled and was going to ask a few questions, when Mona put her cup down.

  “Well, I’d best be off back home. Tom and Zach will be dropping by soon to make sure my cupboards aren’t bare. Silly things, as if I’d ever starve!”

  Chloe helped the old lady stand, anxiously fluttering around her.

  “Are you sure you don’t want a lift home, or I could do some shopping for you, if you’d prefer?”

  “Posh, don’t be silly girl. You go back and think over what I’ve said. There’s a lot there you need to go over, and a lot you need to organize before your cousin comes back tomorrow, hmm?”

  Chloe smiled and wondered where Mona had heard when Mary was coming home. Mona turned around after a few steps.

  “Oh, I nearly forgot. The reason I asked you over was to tell you the local town, back down that track a ways, is looking for an elementary teacher. Nothing full-time. The local school closed down years ago—so all the kids head off into the city to learn. As there’s so many from around these woodland parts, they try to keep the teachers of the babies local. It was just a thought, but I think you’d have made it on your own. Just wanted to let you know.”

  With that the old woman exited the café and hobbled across the street. Chloe sat back down and stared at the empty cups. The local school was looking for a new teacher?

  She hadn’t thought to inquire around the local area; she hadn’t thought she would be staying. Now she had a head full of questions and no idea where to start.

  The waitress chose that moment to come back into the café, rather rumpled and her bun askew. Looking faintly flushed and very satisfied, she headed over.

  “Oh, I’m glad you shared your tea with Old Mona, she doesn’t get out much and really enjoys talking people’s ears off. I hope she didn’t freak you out, she’s a little weird.”

  Chloe smiled a bit frostily, feeling very protective of the old woman.

  “Not at all, she’s the sanest person I’ve spoken to in months.”

  Handing over a few bills and some change, she stood up. The waitress looked a bit embarrassed.

  “I just meant she sometimes weirds out the outsiders.”

  “Ah, but I’m not exactly an outsider. I’m a cousin of the Rutledges.”

  Suddenly the waitress was looking her over carefully.

  “You’re house-sitting for Mary and Dom, aren’t you?” she nodded as if confirming something in her own mind. “That explains it.”

  Losing the thread of the conversation, once again, Chloe smiled and figured it was way beyond time to finish her shopping and head back. She had a special dinner to prepare and a seduction to plan.

  Saying goodbye to the waitress, she headed over to the small grocery store, hoping to score a few deals for the dinner she had planned.

  Chapter Twenty

  Chloe lifted the Dutch oven’s lid and gave one last stir to her beef goulash. She was expecting Samuel to arrive any minute now and she wanted everything to be ready before they started tonight. As she dipped her knife into the large pot, she felt that womanly pride as the beef fell apart at the slight touch. It was cooked to perfection. The potatoes were soft and just fine. She turned the heat down to a low simmer and placed the knife in the sink to be washed.

  Pleased with herself and the way her meal turned out, Chloe turned around to open the fridge door. There was a knock at the front door just as she was lifting the large bowl of tossed salad out of the fridge.

  “I’ll be there in a second!” she called out. Placing the bowl on the counter, she wiped her hands on a towel and crossed over to the door. As she swung it open she saw Samuel on her front porch, sniffing the air appreciatively.

  “Ever thought to be a cook?” he greeted her. She stepped back and smiled.

  “Nope. I couldn’t bear to work in a boiling hot kitchen day in, day out. That and it’s too cutthroat working your way up. Far too many secrets, and tempers, and jealousy in a kitchen. You know the saying—too many cooks and all that.”

  “Mmm…I brought the game.”

  Chloe waved a hand to the small coffee table. “Just leave it there, I figured you’d want to eat first. I cooked up a huge amount, I know you so well.”

  She was startled when he bent over her, carefully holding her chin still so he could lean down to kiss her. The tenderness she felt in the kiss, the gentle, almost sweet exploration of her mouth had her flush with surprise.

  This wasn’t a simple hey-there-good-to-see-you sort of kiss. No. This was more of a missed-you-like-crazy-why-did-you-take-so-long style of kiss. An affirmation of the night they had spent together as well as an indication of more to come.

  Chloe felt quite dazed as he pulled away. Blinking, she tried to gather her thoughts. She had planned to feed the man, make sure he was comfortable and then tell him her plan to talk to the local school principal and submit a request to teach in the local school. As their relationship was barely a weekend old, she hadn’t thought it much of his business whether she left or stayed.

  That kiss, however, showed her he was more than interested in what her plans were, as well as his intention to stay in her life. She had had every intention of continuing their relationship—but it seemed as if he was moving a little faster than she had anticipated.

  She had thought of maybe renting a cabin in the region somewhere, dating the man for a few months. Having a normal, ordinary courtship to see if they worked well together.

  What was it Mona had said?

  Ah, yes. “We feel the mateship bond a lot more intensely than you humans do. We can’t just put it off or talk ourselves out of it.”

  For a split second, Chloe worried that Samuel was moving too fast. She was brought back to reality, however, when he pulled her ponytail gently.

  “Hey there, little girl! Don’t freak on me, it was just a kiss.”

  Chloe laughed and shook her head. She was being silly. “Go and sit down before my goulash burns. I’d never forgive you for that. It would be so embarrassing.”

  Samuel grinned cheekily. “Hey, it wasn’t me staring off into space, looking ready to bolt, and chewing on my lower lip.”

  Chloe shrugged off his teasing and went to serve the dinner.

  * * * * *

  When Samuel finally rested his fork on his plate and sat back with a satisfied sigh, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment there she had worried he would want fourths, and while there was a small amount of the goulash left, there wasn’t enough to fill his plate a fourth time. He had inhaled his huge first serving, automatically checking if she wanted seconds and heading back into the kitchen to replenish his plate.

  After a second serving of both the goulash and salad, mopping up the remaining gravy with the last crust of the French roll she had bought them, he had held up his plate in an imitation of Oliver Twist.

  “Please, miss. I would greatly appreciate some more.”

  Chloe had taken in her own empty dish, leaving it to soak in the sink, and heaped his plate a third time. Thinking to teach him a lesson, she had filled the plate, as full as she had the first time, nearly—but not quite—emptying the large pot.

  Seeing his eyes light up as she placed the plate in front of him, she had marveled how such a lithe, slim man could pack away such a vast quantity of food.

  She had debated for a moment if she should warn him of the ice cream and cream puffs she had picked up for dessert, but as she wouldn’t be able to squeeze a bite more in, she figured to leave it for later.

  They had talked politely over dinner. She had explained about her previous careers, how nothing had really grabbed and held her attention until she had found teaching. But far more interestingly, Samuel had opened up about his work as a private investigator.

&
nbsp; She found it so interesting, the security work he did with his brothers, how in the beginning when he had been building his reputation and starting out, he had followed around cheating spouses and proving false claims.

  He insisted much of it was incredibly boring—paperwork, research, and very little action. But she was still entranced by the work. He had laughed when she divulged she had learned to pick locks from a former boyfriend back in high school.

  “Finally full?” she teased as she grinned at him.

  He patted his totally flat stomach. “Gotta keep my energy up. You certainly wouldn’t want me to falter and run out of energy at a critical time, would you?”

  Chloe laughed as she picked up his plate. “No. I certainly wouldn’t want you to deflate at the wrong moment.”

  Chuckling, she rinsed his plate and placed it in the sink to soak with the other dishes.

  Walking back into the main room, she was surprised to find him already sitting on the couch, arm spread out, inviting her to sit right beside him.

  “Eager tonight, are you?” she laughed.

  “Come on, we have stuff to do. Don’t want to waste all that warmth and energy that delicious meal gave me.”

  Laughing, she sat next to him and relaxed into his warm chest. When his arm gently curved around her, she felt as if she had finally come home.

  “You mentioned how much you enjoyed teaching. Are you going to continue it, even though your subbing is finished?”

  She leaned back to look up to him.

  “I met this really wonderful old woman at the café today. Mona. She said there was a need for an elementary teacher in the local school back in the main town. It’s a fairly short distance from here, only about an hour. I might rent an apartment in the city, or maybe a cabin halfway between here and the town, so I can be closer to Mary. Matthew is already in town, and will be heading back off to college again soon.”