“Yes.”
“Okay. Keep an eye on her, Matt.”
Matt agreed and then hurried me back towards his truck. He plopped me into the passenger seat and rushed around to the driver’s side. “Put your seatbelt on.”
I did as he said and frowned at him. “You’re mad at me.”
He backed down the dusty driveway and turned, heading the truck towards his house. “Yeah, I am. You just made me lie to my cousin. Want to explain to me why?”
I swallowed and faced the road. It was dark and I could just make out the few feet ahead that the headlights illuminated. “I can’t.”
“The hell you can’t. Sam’s a good guy, and I don’t like lying. Why did I just pretend to be your boyfriend? Or do you… You don’t think we’re together, do you?”
My face burned and I jerked around to face him. “No! Jeez, you don’t really think I think we’re together, do you?”
He sighed. “I guess not. But, what the hell is going on? Did he hit on you or something? I know Sam’s a bit of a man-slut, but as far as I know, he’s always been a dedicated professional while working.”
Sam was a slut? Why did that revelation make me want to rake my fingernails down his face? I blew out a rough breath and shook my head at myself. I wasn’t the violent type. At all. “He didn’t hit on me. There was just…something there. It freaked me out.”
“Something there?”
“Something… I don’t know. It must’ve just been the fire. It really scared me.”
“We’re going to talk about this tomorrow morning. I got a strange vibe from Sam back there that there was something going on between the two of you. I want to know what exactly you’ve just gotten me into.”
I nodded, but I had no clue what I’d just gotten him into. I had no clue what the feelings were that were burning, not unlike that deathtrap of a house, between us. I just needed to keep my head down and avoid him. I’d lived in Burden for two weeks now, and this is the first I’d seen of the man, so avoiding him couldn’t be that difficult. Could it?
7
Sam
My mate was dating my cousin. As much as it made my bear want to rip Matt’s head off his neck, the man in me respected and loved my cousin. Matt was family, but he was also a good man. He never dated! In fact, I don’t remember ever seeing Matt with a woman before. Yet, somehow, he’d managed to find and fall for the most beautiful woman in all of Texas. How ironic that the first woman I’d ever seen him with was the woman that should belong to me. I didn’t even know how to handle this. What should I do?
On one hand, I’d been waiting to find my mate for a long time and I was more than ready. On the other hand, I didn’t want to disrespect Matt. Could I just sit around and wait on their romance to fizzle out, though?
At the thought of them together romantically, I sat up and released a loud growling roar. I shook my head, hard, to clear the images away, and went outside to shift. My bear felt a little better, being free to roam, but still I found myself lifting my head, searching for the scent of our mate.
Of course, I didn’t have to try to find her. I knew where she was. At Matt’s house, probably in Matt’s bed. My bear started to lumber in that direction, planning to retrieve his mate, but I put the brakes on that idea. I wasn’t going to win her over by being a raging bear asshole. I had to figure out some other way. Some way that wouldn’t hurt Matt.
Instead of going all cave-bear, I headed towards the creek. At any time of the day, the little section of creek where I was headed was usually secluded. Trampling through the swollen waters, I found my little spot empty, as expected.
I splashed into the water and found a shallow area to lay in. Resting my head on a rock, I stretched out and let the water run over my fur, soothing me. Maybe I could come up with a plan to steal my mate. I loved Matt like a brother, but Presley was meant for me. I’d felt her reaction, smelled it. She wanted me as much as I wanted her. Besides, Matt deserved to be with someone who was made for him.
I didn’t love the idea of stealing her away from him, but I had to do something. It would eat me alive night after night to know that she’d be spending each in the arms of another man. The thought was unbearable. My bear had gone feral for the first time in my life earlier in the night, at the idea of an EMT touching her. I didn’t want to push my bear to a breaking point. That could get very dangerous.
Presley had seemed alarmed and frightened of her reaction to me and I’d been confused by that response at first, but seeing her with Matt made sense. She didn’t want to have strong feelings for someone else when she was committed to Matt. I couldn’t give her the reprieve she wanted, though. She wasn’t going to stop wanting me. Meeting me had altered her life just as surely as meeting her had changed mine. It was how soulmates worked.
I’d already decided to visit her and Matt first thing in the morning before I reported to Wyatt’s fucking mess. I wanted to stop by and check on her, make sure she was safe and looked after. My bear hadn’t been pleased to relinquish her to Matt’s care, but I hadn’t had a choice. The human norms had to be followed for my little human mate. I wouldn’t scare her. I could, however, insert myself into her life to get her comfortable with me.
A part of me felt like shit for plotting to steal Matt’s girlfriend from him, another part of me knew that he would understand when I told him that she was my mate.
After the sun came up, I went back home and showered before heading over to Matt’s. I thought about the last time I’d been out to visit him and felt even more guilt. I couldn’t remember how long it’d been since I’d made an effort to visit, and here I was coming to see him, but only for an ulterior motive.
His dog, a huge mutt named Mabel, ran out of the near human sized dog door, and made a beeline for me. She jumped up, planting her paws on my chest, and licked my face. I couldn’t help but laugh and scratch behind her ears. She panted and slobbered and her tail threatened to wag right off her overgrown body.
“Some guard dog.” Matt laughed as he came out with a mug of coffee in his hands. “What’s up, Sam?”
Slivers of guilt inched their way deeper under my skin and I squatted to stroke Mabel. “Just stopped by to see how Presley was doing this morning. She was pretty shaken up last night. I was worried.”
He took a long drink of his coffee and raised an eyebrow. “You? Worried? I wasn’t sure you possessed that emotion, Sam.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, well, here I am.”
“She’s in the shower. I’ll tell her you stopped by.”
The image of Presley standing naked under the showerhead, droplets of water clinging to her pale, perky breasts instantly had my dick rock-hard. I bit back a groan and saw the flicker of a curtain in one of the windows at the side of the house. She was watching. My little mate was watching. “I’m about to head up to the mountain. We got most of the fire out yesterday, but we’re out around the clock keeping an eye on it for the next couple of days to make sure nothing reignites.”
He glanced to his left, sensing the movement as well, and grinned. “Have a cup of coffee before you go?”
I wanted to say no. I didn’t need to see the two of them playing house in Matt’s home, cozying up like a loving couple. I couldn’t even imagine how my bear would react if she was wearing his clothes, smelling like him. “Sure. Thanks. It’s going to be another long ass day.”
He led the way inside and had to grip the door to keep from being knocked over by Mabel’s large body charging past him.
A second later, a squeal came from the back of the house and then Mabel returned, dragging a damp towel.
Matt threw his head back and laughed while I had to remind myself that running into the back bathroom to catch a glimpse might be considered creepy. God, I love that dog.
I looked over at Matt and shook my head. “You train her to do that shit?”
He grinned. “Nope. I rescued her from a frat house. While I managed to get her to stop eating underwear and harassing the neig
hbors when they barbecued, I couldn’t break her of the towel thing.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. The dog was beautiful and as sweet-tempered as could be. It wasn’t the first time that she gave me an urge to take home one of Matt’s mutts from his office. He had a rag-tag collection of dogs that he’d found and taken in on the property at the back of his veterinary clinic.
“I wish I spent more time at home. I’d take a dog like her any day.”
Matt shrugged. “Why don’t you come by the clinic when you’ve got a few minutes. I’m up to my ears in work and Presley tries to give them all enough attention, but I’m afraid she’s going to wear herself thin.”
My ears perked up. “Presley’s working with you?”
“Yeah. She’s my assistant, but she works her ass off making sure the rescued animals are getting everything they need and more. If I’m not careful, I think she’ll have them all adopted out to herself.”
She was kind, then. I hated that I was learning about my mate from another man, but I had to take what I could get.
Her soft voice called from the back of the house. “Matt? I need some help.”
I gritted my teeth and watched him go, fighting hard to keep my bear in check. I couldn’t stick around to watch them together, after all. I’d just have to figure out some other plan.
8
Presley
I peered around the edge of the door at Matt, scowling. “I need another towel. Why don’t you keep towels in here?”
He laughed and shrugged. “No storage space. Hang on and I’ll get you one.”
I waited as he walked away and tried to peek down the hallway to see if Sam was nearby. Unlike any normal person who’d been through what I had, I hadn’t had nightmares of fire. No, my dreams had been plagued, the entire night through, by one hot fireman. The things my subconscious mind had cooked up starring sexy Sam, weren’t even remotely close to normal.
“Sam?” Matt’s voice called out as I heard a truck start outside.
I shut the door and hurried over to the window. I pulled the curtain aside and watched as Sam’s truck turned around and left. Tendrils of disappointment snaked through me, even as I told myself it was for the best.
“Sam stopped by to check on you, but he left. Which is just as well, because you and I have some things to discuss about last night. Matt opened the door a crack and shoved a towel inside with his hand over his eyes. “Hurry up and get dressed. I’ll make us some breakfast.”
I reached for the towel and did as he asked. I dried off and then hurried to the guest room to drag on the same clothes I’d worn to bed the night before. Matt had washed them for me, so they were clean and didn’t stink of smoke, but the oversized T-shirt and shorts wouldn’t last me for long.
I had a little money saved again from work at the vet clinic, but I intended to give that to Matt for graciously letting me stay with him. I closed my eyes and took a moment to allow the panic to wash over me. While growing up in the flock, we were taught as women to bury our feelings and emotions. Stuff them down deep, and don’t let them surface. Always be sweet. I’d learned when I was younger that it was better to go through them than try to bury them. Ignoring things didn’t work for me. Of course, I couldn’t let anyone know, but I’d developed my own coping technique. I embraced the panic and visually pictured strings attached to it, leading back to what was causing it.
My thoughts raced to Sam and then veered to Father. I couldn’t help but think about his reactions to my choices. I knew he would be appalled by my wanton and lustful reaction to Sam and it was hard to not feel his disapproval like a backhand to the face.
With no money to replace my clothing, I would need to return to Macon’s Edge and retrieve the last of my things. I’d only been away for a few weeks, but I felt as though I had already changed so much. I knew Father would notice. He would see that I had become more worldly, a sin against his teachings. It scared me and angered me at the same time. I wanted to be able to live my life, but his shadow was far-reaching.
Matt knocked at the door. “Food’s ready. You coming?”
I opened the door and looked up at him. “I could use a hug.”
He pulled me into his arms and held me tight to his chest. “Poor thing. Let me feed you and then we’ll talk. You can cry if you want.”
I pulled away and smiled at his generosity. “I’d rather not. I’m trying to leave that part of me behind.”
“The part that cries?”
I nodded. “I want to be tough and street smart. I’d say independent, but that bus drove off the cliff last night.”
“You’ll figure something out. Don’t worry so much right now. Let’s just tackle one thing at a time. Right now, it’s breakfast.” He pressed a kiss to my hair and grinned. “Then, we’ll tackle the next question. Why Sam is sniffing around you, even though he thinks we’re a couple.”
My face burned. “He’s not sniffing around me.”
“I know sniffing when I see it. My cousin is sniffing.”
I sat at the table, in front of the plate that Matt had already prepared for me. I shrugged. I didn’t know why Sam had come over. Probably to visit his cousin. It couldn’t be for me. He thought I was Matt’s girlfriend. I’d handled that situation. Hadn’t I?
Matt let me eat in silence. I took small bites of my food, stretching it out, trying to find the words to explain to him why I’d made him lie to his cousin the night before. I couldn’t say that I was a chicken and had felt so sexually charged by his cousin that I’d leapt at a chance to hide from that feeling. I couldn’t say that I’d been seconds from humping his cousin like a dog so I’d jumped at him. I couldn’t say that my heart raced every single time I thought of Sam. I couldn’t say that I’d thought the feelings would fade overnight, after the stress of the fire faded, but that they hadn’t faded at all.
So, by the time I finished my last bite of food, I had a long list of things I couldn’t say and nothing to say that made any sense. I rubbed my stomach and pushed my plate away. “That was really good, Matt. Thank you.”
He sat with his chin in his hand and a bored look on his face. “You ready to talk yet?”
I swallowed my negative reply. I owed Matt everything, at the very least, an answer for why I’d made him lie. When I opened my mouth to talk, though, a knock sounded at the front door.
Matt jumped and then frowned. “We will be having this conversation, Presley. I can’t believe I didn’t hear anyone coming.”
I grabbed our plates and started doing the dishes while he and Mabel went to see who’d come by. Loud female voices echoed through the house, and I heard Matt say that I was in the kitchen.
I turned and dried my hands on a dishtowel just as several women rushed me. I recognized them from town, among them, Ophelia Barns. My face blanched and my shame made itself known like an old friend slinging its arm over my shoulder.
Ophelia was dating Sterling, one of the only two men that I’d slept with in my entire life. After finding out that Kyle had been cheating on me for the duration of our relationship, I’d been broken, shattered. I, of course, had to hide my pain at his betrayal from my family and the flock. But it was less than twenty-four hours before Father found out and brought his wrath down on me with a vengeance. He beat me and tossed me out of our family home, telling me he never wanted to see me again, at least not while I was still standing on two feet.
Having just been brutally tossed aside, not only by my fiancé, but by my own family, I was so hurt and angry that instead of being the good girl Father had tried to raise, I’d rebelled. I headed to Burden and, for the first time in my life, set foot in a bar. If that wasn’t heathen enough, I ordered myself a cocktail. Although I’d only drunk half of it, I was feeling a whole lot better, and when a handsome man began showering me with attention, I didn’t try to stop him. I know it was wrong. I knew it was wrong then, too, but something inside me so strongly craved kind, caring attention in any form, that before I knew it, we’d ended up
in bed together. His name was Sterling, and our night together hadn’t meant anything to either of us, outside of drowning me in more shame and guilt. Apparently, nothing is a secret in Burden, because Kyle found out the very next day and told anyone who would listen that I’d cheated on him and broken his heart.
Ophelia and I had known each other over the span of months that Kyle and I had been courting, but she worked in Nashville, and I only ever left Macon’s Edge occasionally. As far as I knew, however, we’d both had a fondness for one another, being the two women in Kyle’s life. That ended when, not only had I hurt her brother, I’d slept with Sterling, the guy that she later turned out to be madly in love with. It was a small world and I’d dipped my toes into one too many ponds to be able to stand up tall in front of her.
9
Presley
I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to smile at Ophelia, but it felt forced. “Hi.”
She sent me a warm smile and a little wave. “Hey. We heard about your house. Are you okay?”
I nodded, trying to find my voice, the one I’d been developing since leaving home. “Yeah. I’m okay. It was scary, but I’m unscathed, not even a scratch.”
Another woman, who introduced herself as Georgia, stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. She squeezed and then sniffed my hair. “You smell like a hippy. What kind of shampoo and conditioner did Matt give you?”
Matt grunted. “It’s just a lavender patchouli blend. Nothing wrong with it, either.”
Ophelia giggled and held out a bag to me. “Sam called Allie and she called all of us. He was worried you wouldn’t have clothes after the fire. Of course, he didn’t think about all the other stuff that you’d need. Like conditioner. Your hair is so long and lovely. We all got together extra stuff that we could part with.”
Tears filled my eyes and I knew there was no way I could avoid crying in front of these women. I turned to face the sink and gripped it hard while trying to quiet the sniffling. My heart ached in my chest and there was a lump lodged in my throat.
Bears of Burden Complete Series Box Set Page 42