by J. K Harper
It sounded cheesy even in his own head when he said it, but he felt like a new man. All because of a beautiful, soft, funny, sweet woman who was now deep in his soul. He liked having her there. He felt renewed and refreshed just by realizing what he’d been missing all his life. Haley. He'd been missing her, and now she was here. She was here, and she was his. It was that simple, and that stunning.
He grunted again as he turned away to head back to his truck, but a grin pulled at his mouth. Yeah, he sounded like some sort of self-help guru now. So what. It was all the truth. The right woman really did change everything, as Quentin and Shane had often told him.
As he reached for the handle on the truck, he caught a sudden whiff of something that stopped him in his tracks. Lifting his head, he carefully scented the area. Everything seemed like it should, but something bothered him. He slowly took his hand off the truck door and walked around the clearing, his steps very quiet despite his size. His eyes scanned the forest, his jaw tight, as he used his shifter senses to figure out what had alerted him. His senses in his human form were far weaker than his bear form, but still stronger than any regular human's. He didn't smell that strange cat again, or any other intruders, but something seemed off.
Frowning, he wondered if maybe Beckett had stopped by after all to drop something off as some sort of peace offering. He quickly dismissed that thought. Sure, even if he was pissed at him, Beckett would die for Cortez if it came to it, just like any of the members of the bear clan here. But that sure as hell didn't mean Beckett was a considerate individual who would go out of his way to run supplies up to Cortez's cabin without Cortez asking him first. No, Beckett hadn't been here.
Who, then?
Finally, Cortez shrugged, but he pulled his phone out of his pocket as he still scanned the surrounding snow-covered trees. Pulling up Quentin's number, he shot off a quick text.
Think someone might've been to my cabin again. Not positive.
He started to put his phone away, knowing Quentin was probably busy, but a response came immediately.
I was just about to call you. Abby scented rogue wolf shifters nearby. Remember how much trouble all the wolf packs have been having with rogues lately? Seems like some are nearby. She caught scent of some other shifters too, cats and bears, but we can't say if they're guests or not after that big reunion.
Cortez swore. A huge reunion this past week had been why he'd half killed himself with work and barely gotten to see Haley after their incredible evening together. The lodge had filled with shifters from all over the country who booked it for the entire week. There were tons of them running around, which made it hard to differentiate between them and other shifters who might have come into the area with intentions of starting some shit or generally being assholes.
His phone jangled again. You know we wouldn't normally care too much, but some guy just called the lodge about five minutes ago and asked for you. Male, sounded aggressive. We told him you weren't working today, and he said he'd find you. Then he hung up. Wouldn't say who he was even though we asked. I don't like it.
Cortez felt the hairs on his neck prickle even though he knew no one else was here right now. Even so, he turned in a slow circle, letting his baleful gaze pierce the woods around his property.
Don't know who would be calling me up there, he sent back to Quentin.
Neither do I. Stay alert. We're keeping our eyes open up here.
He inhaled deeply through his nose, pulling in all the scents around him once more as he also strove to calm his bear, which was riled again. No matter what shit went down between him and Quentin, his brother had his back just as much as Beckett did. If Quentin was wary, Cortez needed to be, too.
An image of Haley flashed into his mind, her beautiful face opening in ecstasy beneath him. His bear prowled watchfully inside him, rattling along Cortez's nerve endings. Hmm. Maybe that was all it was. He went back to his truck and slid in. Now that Haley was in his life, Cortez's bear would be feeling a hell of a lot more possessive and protective than usual. Any random thing would set him off, even though it had nothing to do with her. He threw his truck into gear and headed down the dirt road that led into town.
Shaking it off, he instead focused on the night ahead. He'd managed to snatch one night with Haley since their first incredible night, but mostly he'd been working hard at the lodge, and she had a new burst of self-confidence and enthusiasm for her book and had been writing like a fiend. But they’d both agreed to take a break and have fun tonight.
It was Deep Hollow's annual tree lighting ceremony, dubbed the midwinter doldrums pick-me-up fest, and everyone in town always went to it. Haley's best friend, Pix, had been here visiting for several days, so of course Haley wanted her to come to the festival. Cortez had met Pix and instantly liked both her forthright nature and her sheer zest for living, which was something he wanted Haley to gain more of as well.
During their last phone call, Haley also mentioned that she and Pix had met Beckett in town the other night, and there had been huge sparks between his best friend and her best friend. She'd added that maybe this town was filled with some sort of epic freaking magic and every girl coming through was going to fall for a bear shifter. That conversation had turned into an amazing episode of phone sex, which Cortez had never done before and neither had Haley. But damn, was it ever something they both enjoyed a hell of a lot.
Damn, he liked this woman. A hell of a lot.
When he got to his place, he showered in record time, dressed, and headed into the crowded bustle of downtown Deep Hollow to the tree lighting ceremony area. The event was not only fun for locals, but was hyped up at the lodge as well as several of the other small communities scattered within the remote county. Despite the sizable crowd here tonight, Cortez had no problem spotting Haley almost instantly. She was a beacon to his senses. Probably to his dick too, but that was okay. Haley had told him a few days earlier that she was now basically a walking hormone. That just thinking about him got her so turned on it made her wet. After she'd said that she hadn't blushed, but instead seemed tongue-tied as she looked away and then laughed. He loved that about her. She wasn't like a cutesy girl who turned red, but instead she got so turned on by him that she couldn't find the right words to say. He had to admit it gave him a puff of manly pride.
He went straight to her and pulled her in for a kiss, not caring who was watching. She returned it with just as much vigor, enough that when he gently pulled back to look at her, he said, "Feeling a little frisky, huh?" Her sweet peal of laughter said yes.
Only then did he say hello to Pix, who stood nearby and wore a delighted grin. He sensed that Pix approved of him. He also figured she must hate Haley's ex as much as he did. But in the next second Pix's eyes went past him, an enormous smile breaking out on her face. He turned to see Beckett striding up to them. His buddy had eyes only for Haley's friend, though he greeted her without a kiss. Even so, Cortez knew full well when Beckett was interested in a woman. He hoped for Pix's sake that she knew the score with Beckett. He didn't have a good track record with women since his bear was so unruly. In fact, Cortez was half surprised to see Beckett willingly out and about in the large gaggle of people, especially one that included humans from outside of town who didn't know about shifters.
Beckett finally looked at Cortez. No need to beat around the bush. Cortez looked him straight in the eye and said, "Sorry I've been an asshole. That's changing." He didn't look at Haley as he said that, but Beckett briefly glanced at her before looking back Cortez. Clearly he knew why Cortez planned on shaping up. "I picked up some more stuff I needed to work on the cabin. You in for some hard labor maybe tomorrow or so? I'll be there. For damned sure."
Although one eyebrow raised, Beckett just nodded. "Yeah. I gotta make sure you don't do anything dumb like drop a beam on your foot or something."
"Uh-huh," was all Cortez said back. Cool. Things were good with him and Beckett again. He knew everything would've been fine eventually, but he ha
d a sneaking suspicion that Beckett's magnanimous mood had a lot to do with Pix standing beside him. She looked like not only could she take him on, she might actually be more than a match for him. Tiny thing that she was, she seemed weirdly powerful. She'd sure need all the strength she had to handle a guy like Beckett. Cortez shrugged, then grinned as he squeezed Haley close to him. He had enough to think about with her sweet, sexy presence right beside him. No need to worry about his friend's extracurricular activities.
A gaggle of kids ran by, shrieking and giggling with excitement. Cortez had told Haley earlier that the event was most fun for the kids in town, because after the tree was lit up, all the kids were allowed to run up and grab one of the pile of presents tucked under the tree. They were just little things that all the locals offered up. Everyone made sure there was plenty since there were always a lot of visitors in town for this.
As the four of them stood there, talking and sharing a thermos of hot cocoa for which Beckett had supplied marshmallow vodka for the girls to spike it up with, Cortez enjoyed watching Haley's pleasure at the simple, homey little town event. He had to admit he enjoyed it too. This was his hometown, with friends and family scattered all throughout the crowd of people. He knew Jessie and Shane were around somewhere with Grant, and all sorts of others, humans and shifters, that he'd known since he was little.
This was his home, even though it was hard sometimes when everyone around knew everything about everyone else. Like everyone here knowing about the guys from his SAR team he'd been unable to save in time to prevent them from lives that would be forever challenging. As Quentin liked to say now and then, which often got him popped by one of his brothers, it was what it was. There wasn't a damn thing Cortez could do about the past. The only thing he could worry about now, he thought, looking at the gorgeous woman pressed close to his side, her eyes shining as she laughed and enjoyed herself, was the future.
He was damn well certain that future included Haley Adams.
“Hey, you,” she said, squeezing his hand and running her fingers over his thigh.
Naturally, his dick sat up at attention when she did that. He cleared his throat and squeezed her hand back. “You tryin' to get me to throw you over my shoulder and march out of here so I can have my way with you?” His voice was low, for her ears only, though with all the noise of the happy, excited crowd, no one would have heard him anyway.
She grinned up at him in a positively devilish manner. “Nope,” she said in a flippant tone. “Just touching you because I can.”
Oh, hell yeah. That was something he could live with. “Don't stop,” he suggested. “While you're at it, imagine my tongue on you.” He liked the way her eyes got all soft and unfocused and how her breathing suddenly changed when he said that.
She smiled dreamily at him, looking half-drunk just on his words. His bear rumbled with satisfaction. Leaning even closer, he murmured, “How about we cut out of here as soon as the kids run up and grab all their toys?”
“Okay.” She sounded breathless.
There was a commotion up front as the festivities began, but Cortez couldn't focus on them. All he was aware of was Haley next to him, pressed in close against him, the heat of her body causing his own body to stay even hotter than usual. He watched her watch the tree get lit up when the town's mayor gave the signal to the lighting guys. He grinned at her grin of excitement and small gasp of appreciation when the enormous pine tree, which Cortez and Beckett had hauled down off the mountain in December to stay in the town square through the holidays until now, was brilliantly dazzled by the numerous strands of lights strung all over it.
Mostly, he felt a sharp stir of happiness in this moment. With Haley, with Beckett, with the whole damn town. For just this moment, he felt good. Content. His bear calm and quiet, his own sense of self rooted solidly to the ground here.
Even if it lasted for just a moment, he'd take it.
When Pix got called up to the little stage under the tree to drop the race flag that was the signal for all the kids to run up and dive for the presents, Cortez watched as his best friend and his—his Haley, he stumbled in his head, because he wasn't sure how to define her just yet—both hollered and whooped with excitement for Pix’s shining moment in the town's festivities. Then when the crowds began to disperse, the atmosphere both relaxed and excited at once, he tugged at Haley's hand. She looked at him, her eyes regarding him with a steady gaze over the smile on her lips.
“Think those two can handle it if we leave?” Cortez shrugged a shoulder toward Beckett and Pix up by the tree, Pix cooing over the kids unwrapping their presents and Beckett ogling her ass with a big grin on his face. Haley followed Cortez's gesture and burst out laughing.
“I think they won't even notice we're gone.”
“Then come on, woman. I've got plans for you.”
The look she gave him said she not only liked hearing that, but she probably had similar plans in mind. He took her hand and hustled them out of there, pushing through the crowds until they got back to the main street and headed for the house. The second he got them both through the doorway and into the living room, Haley surprised him by being the one to make the first move. She just reached for him and started kissing him, before they even took their jackets off. No dummy, he pulled her close to him, pressing her against him while she kissed and nibbled his lips, soft little pecks that quickly had him breathing faster.
"I sure hope you're not weirded out this time by being in your parents' house again." Her voice was husky, with a quiver of laughter beneath it.
Cortez shrugged out of his jacket and just barely managed to hang it on the coat hook in the hallway. "Nah, it's actually not that bad. We didn't grow up here. They bought it when we were all out on our own already."
"I thought you grew up in Deep Hollow?"
"I did, but our place was teeny tiny, way out in the woods. Basically a shack, though we always had food and stuff. They took care of us, loved the shit out of us, made sure we had the really important things in life like schooling and attention and good values. We had good cubhoods.” He shrugged. “They didn't have money then, though they saved every dime they could because they had plans to make a better life. After they managed to scrape together enough cash to buy the land up at Silvertip Ridge, we lived there with them in a cabin we all helped build. That's how I learned to do construction. Luckily, by that point we were all almost old enough to get out on our own, so we weren't under their feet for too long. It was a small place."
Haley gave him a curious look, her cheeks still a pretty pink from the walk in the frozen air. "Here all along I thought you were some sort of poor little rich boy. But your parents are self-made and you grew up kind of like me. My parents were wonderful and also made sure I never wanted for anything, but they were nowhere near rich.”
Cortez nodded. "My parents always were extremely hard workers, and they passed that on to all of us. Now then,” he said in a low voice. “Enough family talk, woman. Let's get upstairs into your room and see if I can find new ways to make you come, pretty Haley."
Haley's eyes widened and she made a faint noise. He could smell her sweet, sweet arousal. Oh, hell yeah. He liked that.
But just as she removed her jacket and pulled off her boots, the front door abruptly opened and Pix stormed in. Oh, shit. Cortez knew from one quick glance that she was very upset. He immediately looked past her to see if danger followed, but she shut the door behind her firmly. When she turned to them, he could see the tears swimming in her eyes and already streaked down her face.
Fucking hell. Beckett. Somehow, he knew his friend had blown his chance with Haley's best friend.
"Pix! What's wrong?" The way Haley rushed to her friend immediately also told Cortez that his evening with her was completely off.
Pix shook her head, her lips quivering.
Cortez shook his own head. "That dumb ox Beckett did something stupid, didn't he? I know him."
But she shook her head again. "It's my
fault," she pushed out in a thick voice. But she didn't elaborate. Instead, she turned and went upstairs, her shoulders rigid.
Haley glanced at Cortez, warring emotions on her face. He instantly shook his head and reached for his jacket. "You take care of your friend," he told her firmly, liking the way she wasn't about to abandon a girlfriend just in favor of having some personal time with him. Haley knew how to stick up for her friends. Growing up in a tight-knit bear clan like he had, Cortez instinctively admired her response. "You're a good friend, Haley," he added softly. A smile crossed her face. "We still on for tomorrow? I understand if you feel like you need to take care of her instead."
To his relief, she shook her head. "Whatever happened, I know she's a big girl and she'll be fine tomorrow. Tonight maybe not, but she'll be okay in the morning.” That beautiful smile spread over her face. “Besides, she really approves of you and wants me to spend more time with you." Her voice was teasing but firm.
He couldn't hold back his own smile. “Well then, it's a date."
"A date.” The smile bloomed even bigger over her face, lighting it up and making his chest squeeze. “I like that, Cortez. I like that a lot."
He answered her with a long, slow kiss goodbye, which had them both panting again. But he finally broke it off, murmuring, "Go take care of your friend. I'll come by in the morning to pick you up."
He could feel Haley's smile warming his back as he turned and left, carefully closing the door behind him.
As he walked away from the house, leaving Haley behind, he was struck by something that made him pause for a moment. He didn't actually want to leave Haley, ever. He never wanted to walk away from this woman, not for real. He wanted her, he wanted to be around her, he wanted to share his damn life with her. She was his. He knew it, his bear knew it, both of their best friends knew it. If he ever saw her crying the way Pix had just been crying, he would cheerfully kill whoever caused it. He would fight for Haley as long and hard as was ever needed.
