“Thank you for your company. I have not eaten a home-cooked meal for... I can’t remember.” He stood up and said, “Can I help with the dishes?”
“You can,” Sian agreed. “Although I didn’t know if you knew how to do dishes.”
“I must admit I live off room service and restaurants.” He rolled his sleeves up. “But I am always willing to try something once.”
“Does that mean we can go and sit in the living room?” Rachel asked. “I have homework to finish up.” She gritted her teeth together to stop them from chattering.
“Go ahead,” Sian said.
“First, I’m going to put an extra sweater on.” She left the kitchen and Ella followed.
“Thanks for dinner, Mom. And thanks for doing the dishes, Matthew.” Ella winked and bolted for the living room.
“It was Ella’s turn to do the dishes,” Sian explained.
“Ah, so I’ve made a good first impression.” Matthew picked up a wine glass and dried it before placing it carefully on the counter.
“I think you did that last night.” Sian looked over her shoulder and pressed her lips together, a troubled look crossing her eyes.
“What?” he asked, adding another wine glass to his growing collection of dried dishes.
“I can’t figure you out.”
“Is that a good thing?” He tilted his chin. “There’s nothing wrong with a little mystery in our lives.”
She smiled despite herself. “I don’t want mystery. I want straightforward. I want openness.”
He dried his hands and placed them on her back, trying to reassure her, as she stared down at the soap suds. “I can give you whatever you want.”
When she looked at him, her eyes shone brightly with tears. “I don’t know what I want.”
“Then we’ll find out together.” He moved his hands higher and placed them on her shoulders. Turning her to face him, he said, “This is new for me. I had a path that I thought I was traveling on. At my age, I figured mates and families were something that had passed me by.” He gave a wry smile. “I’ve never told anyone this before, but part of me thought it was a punishment for my past behavior in business. Don’t worry, I know exactly what people say about me.”
“And is it true?” Sian asked, her eyes meeting his.
He nodded, a sadness covering him. “I shut my feelings and emotions away. I learned to keep my eyes fixed firmly on my end goal and each time I reached it, I moved it further away. Because what else was there?”
“I’m sorry. About your uncle.” Sian reached up and stroked his cheek. “It breaks my heart to think of a small boy alone in the world.”
“I’m not alone now.” He turned his head and kissed her fingers.
“Subtle.” Her breasts rose heavily, and her eyes dilated as they fixed on his mouth. If he was reading the signs right, she wanted him to kiss her.
Was he reading the signs right? Matthew was an expert at reading body language in a boardroom, but not that of the woman who was his mate.
To hell with it. He lowered his head and captured her lips with his, Sian sighed against him and circled his neck with her arms. She tasted of garlic and tomatoes and he savored every moment of their first kiss.
Then, she jumped back as if his touch had shocked her. “Sorry,” she whispered.
He looked up as the sound of footsteps bounding down the stairs reached him through the fog of desire in his brain. “No problem.”
Sian plunged her hands in the water and cursed lightly. “The water is cold. I’ll have to boil the kettle again.”
“Listen, I wasn’t joking about house swapping. You can go live in my house, as long as you don’t mind me being there during the day to fix the place up. Then I’ll come back here and sleep.” He shrugged. “I honestly don’t mind. And in some ways, you’ll be doing me a favor.”
“How do you figure that?” she asked as she put the kettle on to boil.
“Think of it as me making amends for all my past actions.” He nodded in encouragement. “I’m trying to trade my bad deeds for good ones.”
“I see.”
“Come on. Help a guy out,” he pleaded.
“Us swapping houses will honestly make you feel better?” Sian asked, leaning back on the counter and studying him closely.
“Yes.” He pointed the spoon he’d just finished drying at her. “And think about it. You want to open your pet salon at the shelter. You won’t have to travel back and forth from Bear Creek to get there.”
“Okay, enough of the hard sell.” She looked around the kitchen and then closed her eyes. “Thank you.”
“You accept?” He cracked a smile. Victory had never tasted sweeter.
“I accept.” She poked him in the chest. “But only until the boiler is fixed. I know your reputation, Matthew Lewis. You are devious.”
He chuckled. “You mean the way I’ve moved you into my house as if I was doing you a favor?”
He dodged the wet dishcloth she threw at him. “I could always change my mind.”
“Don’t,” he said seriously. “You can’t stay here, it’s freezing. And if we get the snowfall they predict, the animals will need you close by.”
“What about you?”
“I have four paws. I can trek out to the house.” He picked up the next plate to dry. “Although Gus at the hardware store had a point when he said I needed a truck. My car is built for comfort, but these mountain roads need a bigger beast.”
“Are you talking about yourself?” Sian asked.
“Funny. Although I am a big beast.” She blushed at his words and he burst out laughing. “I meant my broad shoulders. Not anything else.”
“You’re going to need broad shoulders if you want us in your life.” Sian drained the sink and dried her hands. “Do you really know what you are getting yourself into?”
“No, I don’t think I do and for a man who is used to planning everything meticulously down to the last detail, that’s scary.” He slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her close. “But you know what?”
She shook her head as she rested it on his chest.
“I don’t care.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Coming here, meeting you has made me feel alive. And I want to share it all with you.”
Chapter Nine – Sian
“And how did the big date go?” Ronni was waiting in the office when Sian arrived at the shelter the following morning.
“It wasn’t a date,” Sian insisted.
“Really?” Ronni asked. “You have that glow about you that only comes from an enjoyable evening. Like a date.”
“For your information, my daughters were present the whole time.” Sian stopped walking and cast her eyes upward. “Well, nearly the whole time.”
“Did he kiss you?” Ronni’s direct question knocked her off guard. “There are not many first shifter dates that go by with no kissing.”
“It was not a date.” Sian smiled to herself as she placed her purse in the back room behind the reception office and picked up the coffee pot. “How did your trip to the lawyers go?”
“Good.” Ronni accepted the change of subject with no further comment. “Kevin wants the sale to go through as fast as possible.”
“Do you have a date?” Sian asked.
“Not yet. But Will called this morning, he’s keen to start as soon as possible.” She gave a small smile. “I think he is planning on having it finished by Christmas.”
“Wow, so soon?” Christmas, as if she needed reminding, was only two weeks away. She really needed to get her butt in gear and decide on gifts for the girls.
“Yes, he doesn’t want to hang around. I can’t wait. Especially since Lucas is talking about us getting married before Christmas.” Ronni glanced down at the engagement ring on her finger. “It all seems like a bit of a dream really.”
“Tell me about it.” Sian handed a cup of fresh, hot coffee to Ronni. “You know we might be neighbors.”
Ronni placed her
mug down on the desk and gave Sian all her attention. “You’re going to move in with Matthew?”
“Not exactly.” Sian slid into the chair across the desk from Ronni. “You know the boiler is broken in my house.”
“Yes. Hasn’t Mr. Wendell fixed it yet?”
“No. And he isn’t likely to for a few days, he had a heart attack and is in the hospital.” Sian blew on her coffee and then took a sip.
“And Matthew asked you to move in with him?” Ronni nodded. “Smart move.”
“No, he asked to house swap.”
Ronni sat up straight in her seat. “He offered to let you move into his house while he moves into your house? And he’ll move out?”
“That’s about it,” Sian confirmed.
“And you said yes?” Ronni asked.
“I said I’d think about it.” She shrugged. “I would appreciate your thoughts.”
“My thoughts?” Ronni frowned. “You’re worried what people might think.” Her eyes widened, and she nodded in understanding. “You’re worried about what your husband might think.”
“I’m not worried what he might think, but I am worried about him making trouble. For me and Matthew.” She closed her eyes and then corrected herself. “For me or Matthew. Since there is no me and Matthew.”
“Yet.” Ronni gave a knowing smile. “What? Come on. You and Matthew getting together is inevitable.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Sian insisted.
“Yes, I do. He is perfect for you. And you are perfect for him. You’ve already taught him not to be an asshole when it comes to the animal shelter. I have no doubt that if he hadn’t met you the night of the auction, he would have destroyed this place one way or another.” Ronni drank her coffee and stared out the window. “And that would be unthinkable.”
“That’s my point, though. Two days ago he was determined to ruin the shelter at all costs. Is that really the kind of man I want to be with? The kind of man I want around my daughters?” Sian rubbed her hand over her eyes. After a wonderful dinner with Matthew, she’d spent a sleepless night going over and over the consequences of being in a relationship with Matthew Lewis.
“What’s really bothering you?” Ronni asked. “This isn’t just about the two of you, is it?”
“No. It’s not.” Sian pushed herself to her feet and paced the room. “I haven’t heard from Peter.”
“Peter, the rat of a husband Peter?” Ronni considered this for a moment. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
“No. It’s not. He came to town for a reason. That reason wasn’t just to embarrass me at the auction by making a stupidly low bid. But what was his real reason?” Sian asked Ronni.
“I don’t know. But you think Matthew’s interference in the auction has given Peter ammo.” Ronni nodded sagely. “I am so glad I spend my time sorting out the lives of animals rather than trying to figure people and their motives out.”
Sian stared in the direction of Matthew’s house. She couldn’t see it from here, but she knew where it was, and it was as if she could sense his presence there. They had a connection, of that she could not deny. “What if he hurts the children to hurt me?”
Ronni got up and joined her, looking out the window. “Then he deserves to be crushed under the heel of a certain hardball property developer.” Ronni slid her arm around Sian’s shoulders and hugged her. “Listen, Matthew will do whatever it takes to keep you and the girls safe and happy. Peter would have to be a brave man to take him on.”
“Brave is not a word I’d use to describe Peter. However, he has this annoying habit of thinking he is in the right even if he’s in the wrong. Hence the lack of payment even though the courts ruled in my favor.” Sian hated the way Peter made her feel as if she were taking advantage of him. His whiny texts and calls telling her he needed the money so he could move on were self-centered and wrong. Yet he had a way of getting under her skin and making her feel guilty.
That had to stop. Peter was in the wrong.
And Matthew felt so right.
Not where her train of thought needed to go. However, her brain raked up images of Matthew, his dark brown hair, streaked with gray, just begging to have her fingers run through it. Oh, and once her fingers had finished running through his hair, they planned to unbutton his shirt one button at a time, while her lips left a scorching trail down his skin.
“Listen, here is my advice, since you did ask for it.” Ronni turned to face Sian. “Peter is a grown man. Matthew is a grown man. And you are a grown woman. You have to do what you think is right for you. That includes kicking Peter to the curb once and for all. As for Matthew, follow your heart. If that trail leads to marriage and all that stuff, then go for it. But if you want to walk away, then that is your choice.”
“I expected you to lecture me about true mates,” Sian admitted.
“No lectures. All I want is for you to make your choice with a united head and heart.” Ronni drank her coffee and headed back to her desk.
“It would be good to be neighbors,” Sian said as she contemplated Ronni’s wise words.
“It would.” Ronni smiled gently. “I think you’re scared. I’ve seen it in the faces of countless animals.”
Sian brushed her hand across her eyes, trying not to cry. “I am so scared.”
“Admitting it is part of the battle. And it’s natural. Taking a chance on a man. A man who has a reputation. But if you look in your heart and look at his actions since you met him, that is the truth you seek. That is your answer.” Ronni placed her hand on her mouse. “Listen, it’s quiet today. Matthew is that way.” She pointed in the direction of his house. “Why don’t you go and see him?”
“Are you sure?” Sian asked.
“Absolutely.” Ronni shooed her away. “Take your time.”
Sian grabbed her purse and went outside into the biting wind. Pulling her thin coat around her, she had second thoughts about walking to Matthew’s house. But the exercise would do her good and the walk would give her a chance to clear her head. Plus, it saved on gas. Even coming out to the animal shelter each day was taking its toll on her finances. When she got back, she was going to talk to Ronni about starting the pet grooming business earlier than planned.
Sian hurried along the overgrown trail that led from the sanctuary to Matthew’s house. The wind whipped her hair and the brambles grabbed at her legs. However, she managed to reach the old house in one piece. As she drew closer, she came to a stop.
There he was. Chopping wood. No sign of his shirt despite the freezing temperatures.
Sian swallowed hard and briefly considered backing away and just watching from a distance. However, he’d sensed her presence. Would she ever get used to that?
“Hi there.” He raised his hand, wiped his brow and slung the axe he’d been using into a stump of wood.
“Hi.” She gave a feeble wave of her hand and then stumbled forward. “I thought I’d come and say hello.”
“Hello.” He cracked a smile.
“Are you teasing me?” she asked.
“Nope. I’m just happy you’re here.” He grabbed his shirt and put it on.
“Pity,” she murmured.
He arched an eyebrow and she blushed. Had he heard her?
“Coffee?” he asked.
“Sure.” She didn’t really need more coffee, she was wired enough, but she figured you could tell a lot about a person by the coffee he drank.
“Come inside. I’ll give you the tour.” He waited for her to join him and then turned around and led her toward the porch.
“You’ve been working hard.” Sian stood on the porch and looked down at the hole in the porch where the old wood had been taken up.
“Gus is delivering the new lumber this afternoon. I’ll soon have this hole patched up.” He eyed her carefully. “Are you here to take a look at the house to see if it’s suitable for you, Ella and Rachel?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I just... It was Ronni’s idea,” she said feebly.
“Ah, checking me out in case I’m up to some nefarious deeds.” He seemed to be in good spirits and her own mood lightened.
“Ronni suggested we got to know each other a little better.” She placed her hand on the door frame, it seemed solid enough. “And I guess there’s no harm in checking out the house.”
“It is sound, and it is warm.” He pushed the door open and stood back, waiting for her to enter.
Why did she get the feeling she was entering the bear’s den? Because she was. And she wasn’t sure she was going to make it out again, not with her heart intact, at least.
Chapter Ten – Matthew
Matthew watched Sian as she walked into his house. She looked nervous and unsure and he wanted to set her at ease, but he wasn’t good at making people feel comfortable. After all, making people feel uncomfortable in his presence was how he’d intimidated people into agreeing with him.
Sian was right when she said he had a reputation.
“I won’t bite.” He turned around and headed to the kitchen.
“But your bear might,” she quipped as she lingered in the living area.
“Only if he likes you.” Matthew cast a glance over his shoulder. “What do you think?”
“Of the house?” She turned around and looked at the ceilings. “It has potential.”
Matthew chuckled. “Is that code for it’s a wreck?”
“No, it’s not a wreck.” She ran her hand along the windowsill that needed sanding and painting. “It just needs some TLC.”
“From what I gather, Jeremiah Jones lived here alone for a good few years. As he got older, he let things go. Understandable. But a pity nonetheless.” He passed her a cup of coffee and strolled to the hearth. “The fire heats the room up. Plus there’s a boiler that heats the hot water and the radiators. It’s a little antiquated, but it works.”
“Are you sure about us swapping houses?” Sian asked suddenly.
“I thought I was going to have to talk you round.” He prodded the fire with a poker and added some wood as it spat and crackled into life. The room instantly felt warmer, or maybe it was his imagination.
The Bear Buys a Bride Page 7
