Jellybean released the chains on the swing and took a flying leap towards Carter. Carter, stronger than she appeared thanks to the whole bear shifter thing, easily caught her daughter and then set her down on her feet and turned to me. “Your fault.”
I grinned and opened my arms for Jellybean to run to me. “Maybe, it is. I do seem to always be jumping in with both feet.”
Carter thrust Jellybean into my arms and pressed her forehead against my shoulder. “What if I’m not here to catch you, Can?”
I easily picked them both up, one in each arm, and headed back towards my house. Ignoring their equally high-pitched squeals, I carried them with a genuine smile on my face. They were the only things keeping me together and I was worried. Carter was about to be on her own, without me. I still had them for another day, so I was going to do what I could to ignore the gaping hole in my chest and just focus on them.
“You really think that you could leave town without saying anything to me? I thought we were closer than that, Cannon.” Sam’s easy voice rang out as soon as I answered my phone.
“You sound fucking chipper.” I dropped a box onto the counter of Carter’s new kitchen and leaned against the cabinets for a break. “I’m just helping Carter move into her new place.”
“I am fucking chipper. You’ll be chipper when I tell you why, too. First, tell me about Carter’s new place. She safe?”
I looked around the room that was already filled with local women, gossiping and tripping over each other for the chance to help Carter and steal glances at me. Of course, Carter had found a town of shifters where the female to male ratio was four to one. I wasn’t sure some of the women roaming the house had ever seen a man before. “Ever heard of a place called Helen’s Corner?”
Sam snorted. “Hell’s Crazy Corner? Town of mostly female shifters, all of them looking hungry and ready to pounce?”
Heads snapped in my direction and I winced. “Yep.”
“Oh, she’s safe. I went through there one time. I’m still not quite clear how I lost my pants in that place. Literally, lost.” He grunted. “Sorry, baby.”
“Presley?”
“Yep. Anyway, she’s safe there. Any man steps foot in that town and he’s likely to be chewed up and spit out long before he ever reaches your sister.”
I looked over at her, sitting with Jellybean on her lap, adhering a band-aid over her child’s scraped knee. I wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted for her. I wanted her to find her mate and be happy. Hiding away wasn’t going to help her.
As if she could feel my thoughts, Carter looked up at me and rolled her eyes.
“Anyway, that’s not why I called. I’ve got some interesting news to tell you.”
I let myself out of the house and sat on my open tailgate. “Shoot.”
“Someone graffitied the water tower.” I could hear Sam’s smile through the phone. “Big time. Painted a message in huge, bright red letters.”
“Okay, and this is interesting?”
“It’s got the whole town talking.”
I nodded to two women strolling by and rolled my shoulders. “That’s nice, Sam.”
“I shouldn’t tell you. You’re barely listening to me.”
“You sound like my wife, Sam. Spit it out.”
He scoffed. “Look here, asshole. I’m no wife. You’d be my wife. I’m the man in this relationship, sucker.”
I waited for him to blanch at that last word.
“Oh, god. Not like that. You know what? This took a weird direction. Anyway, you’re going to be interested in what this message says.”
I sat up straighter. “Why?”
“Because it involves you.”
What? Please don’t let it be a homophobic hate slur. Please. My mate will never come around. I waited for Sam to say more and when he didn’t, I surged to my feet and growled. “Spit it the fuck out, Sam.”
“It was just this message, telling the whole town that my cousin has the hots for you. You know, the whole ‘up in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g’ thing.”
I could hardly believe what I was hearing. “If you’re messing with me, I’ll make Presley a widow.”
He laughed. “Get home, man. My cousin finally came to his fucking senses.”
I hung up and grabbed two last two moving boxes from the bed of my truck. It was time to get Carter’s things out of my truck so I could return to Burden.
24
Cannon
It was after midnight when I sped into town. I’d been hauling ass the whole way trying to get to the base of the water tower. I was too nervous to look at it until I’d reach the base, afraid I’d somehow jinx myself and it wouldn’t say what I was praying it said. A small part of me thought that this might be a crushing and brutal practical joke.
I slid to a stop and barely shifted the truck into park before I was out and standing in the beams of the headlights, gazing up at the freshly painted words. Such simple words, yet they carried more meaning and weight than a full length novel.
There it was, high in the night sky, lit by two large spotlights, Matt loves Cannon. I laughed, because there was nothing else I could do. I laughed until I doubled over, my hands on my knees, tears streaming down my face.
The pressure strain I’d been under was released like heavy weight off my shoulders and I felt light and joyful. I tilted my head back and stared up at the words, feeling the hope blossom in my chest and turn into radiant happiness.
“I’m not sure how to take your laughter.”
I spun around and found Matt walking closer with his hands shoved in his jeans pockets. He looked like a kid who’d been sent to the principal’s office. His hair was wilder than normal, falling into his eyes and fluttering around his forehead in the wind of a brewing storm.
“It’s… it’s… good.”
Matt tugged his lower lip into his mouth and glanced up at me through his eyelashes. “I never thought I’d get to use that water tower. When I was younger, guys would go up there and paint it for their girlfriends. I didn’t think I’d ever get that. As silly as it is, it was something I obsessed on a lot. A rite of passage denied. The measure of normalcy, I guess. It always felt out of reach before.” His eyes moved to our names and his cheeks flushed. “Can’t say I ever imagined doing it at this age. Can’t say I ever imagined getting a standing ovation for doing it, either.”
I watched his every move and ached to close the gap between us. “Got a standing ovation, huh?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I was a major dickhead, Cannon. I’m sorry.”
“Go on.” I wanted him, but I needed to know where we stood. I wanted to hear that things were going to be different from his own lips.
“I don’t deserve you. I know that. I put you through too much shit. I was selfish and mean.” He met my eyes and his hands came out of his pockets, balled in fists, like he was fighting the urge to touch me. “That’s all over. No more hiding. No more bullshit. I want you. I want you more than I want to keep breathing. If you’ll give me another chance, I promise no more secrecy. I’ll let everyone know that you’re mine and I’m yours.”
I looked back up at the tower and grinned at him. “Think you covered that last part pretty well.”
“I’m fighting for you. For us. I’m still scared shitless, Cannon, but I’m not willing to lose you because of it.” He paused. “If… If I still have you.”
I closed the gap between us and captured his lips in an emotion fueled kiss. Digging my fingers into his messy curls, I pressed my body against his and felt his heart racing as fast as mine. “You have me.”
Matt wrapped his arms around me and held tight while slipping his tongue into my mouth. He kissed me with more yearning that I’d ever experienced. I wanted to pause the moment and have it last forever.
“Wait here.” He slipped out of my arms and a few seconds later, we were bathed in darkness as he turned my truck and the spotlights off.
I could see him moving in the dark, coming closer to
me, skirting around and beckoning me to him. I followed him to the base of the tower and then up the metal stairs to the platform at the top.
He didn’t touch me again until we were plastered against the side of the tower, looking down at the dark town. The only lights came from The Cave, an always welcoming beacon in the night.
“You know, I’m not crazy about heights.” I turned my head and looked over at my mate, who was grinning at me so vibrantly that it took my breath away.
“And, I’ve realized that sometimes pushing through fear leads to the fulfilment of desires.” With that, he sank to his knees in front of me. “Just don’t fall. A gunshot wound to the chest was enough excitement for me to last the next several decades.”
I spanned my hands on the tower behind me and blew out a shaky breath. “Matt? We could always do this on solid ground.”
He grabbed my belt buckle and grinned up at me. “Grand gestures and all. They’re in all of the books we read. I’m making a grand gesture.”
“Fuck, Matt, do it with flowers or something.” I gasped as he pulled my zipper down and pulled out my rock-hard dick. I looked down at my hard shaft and shook my head. “Traitor.”
“If you want me to stop, just say the word.” He took my entire length in his mouth after that, knowing I had no chance of saying any such thing. Sliding his mouth off me, he laughed. “I love you, Cannon. Hold on.”
“I love you- Fuck! Matt!” I sucked in a sharp breath and gritted my teeth as he sank even more of me into his mouth and sucked hard. My eyes rolled back in my head and I growled, all my conscious thoughts gone, replaced by my bear’s excited euphoria.
A flash of light cut through the lust haze, quickly followed by Matt’s swearing.
“Well, look at this. The new kid’s got his dick hanging out for the whole town to see.” Sam’s joyful voice carried up to me and I growled.
Matt groaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“It looks so small from down here! Are you sure that’s enough for you, Matt? Hey Ophelia, get out your phone, we could put this on YouTube.” Sterling laughed even as he talked.
“You can’t put dick vids on YouTube,” Ophelia slapped Sterling’s arm. Shifters were much more open about nudity than the average human, but still, I wasn’t willing to continue the show.
I shoved my still hard dick back into my pants and looked around for something to throw down at them. “You assholes don’t have anything better to do than creep on someone trying to make out on the water tower like a teenager?”
Sam laughed even harder. “Matt, this is a hell of a coming out party.”
“Thanks, Sam.” Matt slowly stood and took a deep breath before leaning into me and kissing me. “Let’s go home. That’s enough of a show for me.”
Cheering ensued from below us. Sam’s voice rose above the rest. “Whoo Hoo! Good for you, Matt! You get your man!”
I laughed, unable to stop it, and pulled back. “Your cousin’s lost it.”
Matt nodded. “Yeah, I’m not sure I can actually face him. What are the chances he’ll leave before we come down?”
I glanced down and then pushed my back into the tower harder. “Slim to none. He just brought out a folding chair.”
Matt let his head fall back and squared his shoulders. “Okay. Come on. I want to fuck you soon and if that means parading in front of them like I didn’t just have your-”
“Shifter hearing down here, boys!” Thorn called on a laugh.
“Let’s relocate. How about Carter’s new town?”
I imagined the hungry eyes that would be all over Matt and growled. “Not a chance. Take me to your house.”
Matt met my eyes and smiled. The noise around us faded as he took my hand and pressed his lips to it. “Our house?”
25
Matt
Cannon was drunk. Happy drunk. We were at the bar, celebrating Sam and Presley announcing their engagement. He’d just knocked over a half a beer and grinned about it. “Babe, I made a mess!”
Every eye in the place turned to us and I felt a touch of my old panic creep from the outer edge of my subconscious, but chose to ignore it. Standing up, I wrapped my arms around Cannon’s waist and dragged him into the seat next to me. “You’re beyond drunk. You’re pass out with your pants on drunk, Can.”
His eyes cleared instantly. “I can always get my pants off for you.”
Laughter rose around us and Sam raised his glass. “To Cannon’s pants!”
Georgia, from her seat on Wyatt’s lap, pursed her lips and shook her head. “I’m still not happy that all of you knew about this and kept it from me.”
Allie grinned. “You know ninety percent of the gossip in this town. You don’t need to know all of it.”
Everyone paused as Georgia sputtered. “Yes, yes, I do!”
It was a happy night, completely carefree. Drinks were flowing, we’d all taken turns dancing around the bar, making complete asses of ourselves. Life was good. We’d all found our mates. We’d all managed to find love.
I couldn’t help but grin as I watched Georgia continue to argue about being left out. I had a feeling we wouldn’t be hearing the end of that for a long time.
Allie was sitting with Thorn, both of them mildly engaged in the argument. Wyatt was leaning back in his chair, his hand resting on Georgia’s lower back, but his eyes barely open. Veronica and Hutch were wrapped up in each other, their lips finding each other’s more than not. Ophelia was singing along to the love song on the jukebox and Sterling was grinning at her eating up every word. Sam had started a conversion about work with Cannon that Cannon looked way too drunk to be having.
Presley leaned into my side and grinned up at me. “I never would have thought I could have all of this. Good friends, great love.”
I glanced around again at my best friends, the people I’d gotten so much closer to after allowing them into my world. I shared her sentiment. I never thought I’d have anything remotely close to this. I never thought I’d be able to connect with anyone, not while living the life I’d thought I’d had to live.
“I don’t think any of us thought we’d be this lucky.”
She bit her lip as she watched Sam. “So lucky.”
Cannon said something that made Sam laugh and then looked back at me to see if I thought he was as funny as Sam did. I smiled, letting my feelings flow through our bond. I thought he was funnier. I thought he was everything.
His cheeks reddened and he bit his lip. That was a dangerous look. “I think I’m going to head to the bathroom.”
Presley giggled and moved onto Sam’s lap. “You two are always going to the bathroom.”
Sam snorted and nodded. “Wait until you get home. This is my party.”
“Our party.”
He planted a wet kiss on Presley’s mouth and winked at her. “Our party.”
Cannon leaned into me and pressed a kiss against my neck. “I’m not too drunk to get my pants off.”
My body heated and I knew we wouldn’t be making it home before he showed me proof of that statement. “I’ll let you prove it to me.”
Veronica looked up from Hutch and raised her eyebrows at me. “Better than the books?”
I took a slow drink from my beer and fought the urge to shout an affirmative. “Better than the books.”
“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Cannon had moved almost into my chair, his large body hot and heavy against mine. “Because I do. I’m crazy about you.”
Every time he got close and spoke to me in that deep voice of his, the rest of the world seemed to fade. The bar grew silent for me and all I could do was watch as Cannon leaned in closer. He licked his lips and the pale green of his eyes began to glow.
“I’m crazy about you, too.”
His mouth tipped up in a crooked grin before pressing against mine.
Cannon’s kisses were magical. When he kissed me with passion, I always went weak in the knees and when he planted a quick kiss to my mouth bef
ore leaving for work, I always reached out for more, but when he kissed me like he did right then, soft and gentle, it was a promise. A promise to always love me and be with me.
His hands stroked my hair then held my head and he deepened his kiss until he was sure I knew just how he felt about me. That was Cannon, always showing me how vast his love was.
When he pulled back and stared into my eyes, I was surprised to see tears in his. Still holding me close, he whispered low enough so only I heard. “Marry me?”
My eyes widened. “What?”
“Marry me. Make me the happiest man ever. I want to spend forever with you, Matt. I’m going to spend forever with you. Let’s do it sharing last names.”
With my heart in my throat, pounding out a racing chorus, I nodded.
Cannon gave a loud whoop, startling everyone, and me, and then stood up and dragged me up with him. “We’re going home to see if I’m too drunk to get these pants off!”
Everyone cheered as he dragged me around the table. Sam leaned back and shook Cannon’s hand. “Be good to my cousin.”
Georgia snorted. “Are you giving sex tips to your cousin’s mate?”
And just like that the arguing was back on.
Cannon pulled me out of the bar and into the woods. “Shift. I want to run with you, mate.”
I ripped my shirt over my head and felt free as a breeze brushed over my skin. “You think that getting married means you get to boss me around?”
His glow in his eyes intensified as he shoved his pants off, proving that he could, indeed, do it. “I think you like it. So, shift, mate. I want to run with you until I can’t hold back from touching you.”
A shiver ran down my spine and I stripped before shifting. My bear sang out his happiness in a mighty roar that Cannon’s joined in on a second later. I raced away from him, knowing he’d follow. He’d always follow.
Bears of Burden Complete Series Box Set Page 58