by T. Cobbin
Leo caught her glance, and his worried eyes seemed to bore inside her. She shook her head slightly, hoping he wouldn’t ask anything while the children were around. She gave him a weak smile and watched him and the kids finish their meal.
“Right, imps,” Leo spoke up. “Because us adults spent the morning talking, how about we all put some of those new games to use this afternoon?”
Both children’s faces gleamed with delight, and the room filled with shouts of which game they wanted to play first.
“You go,” Danielle said as she stood, stacking the dirty plates. “I need to wash the dishes first and get tea ready.” Most of all she wanted some time alone to go over everything.
“Aww, Mummy, I wanna play Pie Face with you.” Her son pouted, his eyes instantly taking on the sorrowful puppy look.
“Don’t you go pulling that face. If the wind changes, it will get stuck like that,” she said sternly. “Now scoot. Go play, and I’ll be there as soon as I’m done.”
“Go on, kids. Go get Pie Face out, and I’ll join you in a second once I get the cream,” Leo added.
Gracie took hold of Ollie’s hand and whispered something into his ear. Ollie grinned and took off after the little girl toward the new board games.
“What did she say?” Danielle asked, remembering Leo had told her about their enhanced hearing.
Leo rolled his eyes as he stood and pushed in his chair. “She asked Ollie if he wanted to play Twister instead.”
Danielle frowned. “Why would playing Twister make Ollie smile like that?”
Leo sighed, then mimicking Gracie’s voice, he said, “Because Pops will lose first ’cause he’s old.”
Danielle bit down on her bottom lip to hide a smile, but it didn’t work or stop her laughing.
“I’m not that old.” He pouted.
“To them you are.” Danielle giggled. “To them you’re ancient.”
Leo stepped forward, and his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against his hard body. With her head only reaching halfway up his chest, she had to tilt her neck back to look up at him.
“Am I too old for you?” he asked seriously, although his dirty green eyes sparkled with amusement.
“No,” she whispered breathlessly as his scent surrounded her, making her feel safe.
Her abundant curves molded against his firm form. She could feel his erection digging into her lower stomach and knew that huge weapon of his would now only ever give her delight, if she sought it, since he’d explained she was his soul mate, the one made for him. He’d said from the moment he’d first scented her he had her embedded in his brain to the point both his mind and cock wouldn’t accept another female.
Sudden images filled Danielle’s mind of the times Master could have killed her. “What if he’d murdered me?”
Leo’s heart changed from a steady thrum to a pounding thump against her fingers that lay over his chest. “I would forever be lonely. I cannot count how many times I’ve thanked the Goddess for allowing me to find my soul mate. And since hearing about your year of hell, I have thanked her more times than I care to admit for keeping you alive and safe long enough for us to meet.”
The love Danielle saw written over Leo’s face had her heart melting into a pool of goo. How could he love her so soon?
“What if I choose to leave the isle and never look back?” Even as she uttered those words, she already knew it wasn’t an option. She’d quickly grown attached to both Leo and Gracie. She was drawn to him, and he made her feel like a woman again. He made all her girly parts tingle. She couldn’t count the number of times he’d wandered around shirtless, leaving her wanting to lick him like a lollipop.
Learning his secret had startled her at first. But after the surprise had worn off, she realized that he and Grace had placed just as much trust and faith in her that she wouldn’t tell anyone as she had in Leo the night she’d told him about Master.
Leo didn’t take his eyes off her. “You would take my heart with you.”
It was Danielle’s turn for her heart to thump in her chest. His head dipped toward hers, his eyes asking if he could kiss her.
Lifting one hand, she cupped his cheek and stroked her thumb against his rough whiskers. With her other hand, she reached up and ran her fingers through his short, spiky brown hair. She gave in to her heart and settled her mind. Who gave a shit what Leo could turn into? She knew in her heart, no matter what or who he was, he wouldn’t hurt her.
“I don’t want to leave you,” she said honestly.
Leo’s eyes closed before opening again, a thankful look overcoming his handsome features. His mouth covered hers, and his tongue delved between her lips. He kissed her with a passion Danielle had never known. His tongue flicked into her mouth, and she felt and heard a primal growl come from him as he took what he wanted, and she gave willingly. His hands cupped her backside, his fingers molding her butt cheeks. Her nipples poked through her t-shirt against his chest. She felt dizzy.
Suddenly, he pulled back and turned his head to the right. With dazed eyes, Danielle saw what he was staring at. Two children with hands over their mouths, trying hard to stifle their giggles. Bugger!
Chapter 8
Breaking apart from the kiss was hard, but upon hearing whispering and quiet giggling, Leo knew that he and Danielle had been busted.
“I thought you were supposed to be playing?” Leo asked, trying to act stern when all he could think about was the near painful erection in his pants.
“We thought you were supposed to be washing the dishes and playing games with us?”
Gracie’s sassy reply made Leo laugh. Damn, that kid was going to give him trouble when she was older.
“We’ll finish this later,” Leo whispered in Danielle’s ear ever so quietly, so that Gracie wouldn’t hear. He didn’t miss the tiny, erotic moan that his mate let free. Smiling to himself, he urged the children toward the dining room table after grabbing a can of cream for their game.
Last night Leo had held his trembling mate in his arms, and tonight he aimed to do the same thing, but only after she came all over his dick. Caveman thinking? Fuck yeah! A mental image of Danielle lying on the white, fur rug in front of the roaring fire—open, wet, and ready for his cock—had him groaning. It was going to be a long afternoon.
“Pops, why were you kissing Danielle like that?” Gracie asked sweetly.
“You nosey little sprite.” He nipped Gracie’s nose with his finger and thumb. “I’ll tell you what, go bring your games to the living room instead, and I’ll set a fire,” he said, changing the subject.
“But, Pops—”
“Now,” he ordered sternly, not wanting to give the little girl an answer. It wasn’t for her ears. “Before I change my mind and make you play outside with the penguins.”
Gracie wasn’t used to the cold weather on the island yet, particularly at this time of year. Even for a shifter, who ran a higher temperature than a human, it was harsh. He’d found that out himself when he’d been growing up. There were no tall buildings and skyscrapers to protect you from the wintery blasts of wind that rolled off the ocean. No sooner did you step outside, the cold whipped around you and froze you to the bone, and that was before the snow had arrived.
The weather reports predicted that a good couple of inches was due this week. Leo often wondered how Danielle had coped, especially when Ollie was a baby. Had she left him in the house and trudged to the boat shed on her own? Or had she wrapped the small boy up and taken him with her? One thing was for sure—now that Leo was home, she wouldn’t have to do that again.
Boxing Day afternoon went like the day before, filled with fun and games beside the roaring fire. It gave Leo a huge amount of pleasure to see the children, along with Danielle, with rosy glows to their cheeks as they sat in front of the fire. After tea of cold meat, mash, and pickles they all watched Mary Poppins. The island didn’t have cable, but while Danielle had been living there she’d built up a collection of DVDs. To Le
o’s delight, there were quite a few action movies he enjoyed. Both children sang along to the songs, until eventually peace and quiet descended. Ollie was the first to close his eyes and fall asleep. Gracie, however, hung on until just before Mary Poppins took her leave.
As the credits rolled, both adults carried their youngsters upstairs to bed. Staring down at Gracie in her bed, Leo marveled once more at how much she had grown since he’d taken charge of her. He broke from his reverie when he heard Danielle walking down the back stairs. Leo smiled. Now it was adult time. With no booze, he hoped tonight went better than last.
“All tucked in?” Danielle asked as he walked into the sitting room.
“Yep.” He sat down on the sofa, his arm curling around her shoulders. A move that felt like home. “This last month or so, Grace catches me unawares and I find myself staring at her. She’s been my ward for years, and yet I feel like I’m only just really seeing her. I feel so ashamed, burying myself in my work for so long.”
He turned his head to peek at Danielle’s face. She was staring at him with her expressive, lavender-colored eyes that told him not to feel so guilty.
“What are you going to do when you go back?” she asked.
Leo frowned. “Go back where?”
“To work, silly.”
“I’m not going back. Well, I’m not planning to go back. That all depends on you really.”
“On me?” Danielle asked, surprise in her voice.
“Well, first of all, you now own the isle.” He gave her a silly grin. She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up his hand. “Hear me out. Secondly, you now know about my secret and what you mean to me.”
“But—”
Leo didn’t let her finish. “Sweetheart.” He turned to fully face his mate. “I would like to stay here with you and Ollie. To be your mate in all its glory. I wish to see you grow with our young, if you so choose. But most of all, I want the Vanish Isle to become your safe haven. We gorilla shifters mate for life, so there will be no other but you for me. But if you want me to walk away, I’ll tell you now, I’ll walk away with a heavy heart.”
Danielle shook her head and raised a hand to cup his cheek. Her eyes told him her answer before she spoke.
“Didn’t you hear me earlier, you silly man? I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want to either. I want this island to be our home, the place where we raise our children—the two we have now and the ones we make together. I want to watch them grow up safe and sound.”
“Well then, I’d better get on with it and start remodeling this house.” Leo’s excitement grew thinking of his mate and all their children to come. “We’re going to need more bedrooms for the new infants.” He grinned salaciously.
Danielle rolled her eyes. “Just concentrate on kissing me first, please.”
“With pleasure.”
He lowered and tilted his head slightly, pulling her closer to him. He planted small kisses along her lips before pressing his tongue against her mouth, seeking entrance. She opened, giving him permission. Danielle’s taste exploded along his taste buds, her flavor unique. His cock, which had already been at half-mast, engorged, swelling to a painful point in his pants. Leo’s beast purred deep inside his mind, glad she was accepting them with her heart; he just wanted her soul now.
Leo pulled back, licking along her lips as he did. “Danielle Knight, will you become my soul mate?”
She looked unsure. She worried her bottom lip with her top teeth. “That means you biting me, right?”
Leo nodded, hoping with all his heart she said yes. His gorilla was pushing against his skin. “You will probably feel a bit of a pinch, but I’ll bite you when you’re in the throes of passion, so you won’t remember much.”
“About the passion or about the bite?” she asked saucily.
“Well, if you forget the passion, then I’m a shit lover.”
“Well, you’d have to make love to me in order for me to learn that.”
The scent of Danielle’s arousal filled Leo’s senses. He couldn’t miss her perky nipples poking through her t-shirt.
“See these?” Leo asked, opening his mouth and pointing to his fang teeth.
“Yeah, they seem a lot thicker than mine.”
“They are. If you take a closer look, you will see a crack running down the sides of them.”
Danielle lifted a finger and ran it down his right fang. She jumped when he pretended to gnash on her digit. With a small chuckle, he picked her hand up and kissed her knuckles while watching a tinge of red touch her cheeks.
“Only once in the lifetime of a gorilla shifter will he or she ever use those special fangs that hold the venom inside to change their mate. Once this is done, and done right, those teeth will fall out, never to be used again.”
Danielle nodded, biting on her bottom lip.
“Ask your questions, sweetheart. I won’t take you as my mate if you’re unsure. You need to be certain that you want this.”
“What about Ollie? You say gorilla shifters have an extended life.”
Leo automatically thought back to Gracie and blew out a breath. “Gracie might be Ollie’s mate,” he said with a grimace.
“What!” Danielle screeched.
With a sigh, Leo explained. “Gracie told me the other day that her gorilla keeps wanting to bite Ollie. The only reason her infant would want to do that is the possibility that Ollie may be her mate.”
“But they’re so young? She… He… They…” Danielle stumbled.
Leo squeezed her hand and tried hard to calm the situation. “If Gracie’s infant bit Ollie now, the chances that he would be like us are slim. Her gorilla isn’t old enough to understand the implications.” He hoped what he was saying was true. He really needed to phone his parents and ask them for advice.
“What if he isn’t? What if I agree to become your mate, and be like you, and I outlive my son?”
Leo had no answer. He had no idea what to say, but to live without Danielle wasn’t an answer either.
“I don’t have to bite you.” His gorilla scraped across his mind, causing pain to shoot behind his eyeballs. His beast wasn’t happy with that idea. “I’d rather be with you as you are than not at all,” Leo added, more for his animal than for Danielle.
Leo’s gorilla suddenly calmed. With a snort, he sat back on his hunches, and both watched and listened.
What Leo had said to his mate was true. “To live alongside you while you grow old wouldn’t be a hardship at all. But to live after you’re gone would be, so I’d vow the day you die to take my life and be with you in the afterlife.”
Danielle’s eyes filled with tears. “No, Leo, you couldn’t do that.”
Leo raised his hand and cupped her cheek. Her hand fell to lay over his heart. “There is no life for me without you. Since the first moment I caught your sweet aroma on the wind, to you appearing to me like an angel, I’ve been addicted. I have waited. Now here you are in my arms. I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
He leaned forward and kissed her deeply. He needed to show his mate just how much his heart cried out for her. How his soul was hers. Her arms banded around his neck, and like two nights before, she straddled his legs, her covered, heated core coming into contact with his hard shaft tucked in his pants.
“You don’t have to bite me tonight, right?” she asked, her cheeks aglow.
“No, sweetheart, not now.”
“I still have so many questions.”
“I’ll only bite you if and when you’re ready,” he assured her.
She raised herself up onto her knees fully and kissed him. Closing his eyes, he relished the taste of his mate across his tongue as the sweet aroma of Danielle’s arousal filled his nose. There wasn’t an iota scent of fear within his woman now. She kissed him with passion, with a want that surpassed his own. She moaned into the kiss, a long, dick-stimulating groan, as she rubbed herself through their clothing on his hard member.
Although he wanted to take her as he en
visioned earlier, on the rug in front of the fire, he had to ask her where she’d like to sleep. Because once he started, it would be hard to stop until she was sated and asleep in his arms.
Tearing his mouth from hers, he breathlessly said, “Sweetheart, hang on a minute. I want this to be good for you. I wish for you to know it is me loving you and no one else. If, at any point, it gets to be too much—”
“Stop,” Danielle said softly, placing a finger over his lips. “I’ll let you know if I’m not okay. When I first saw you, I was drawn to you, even after everything I went through. I can’t say you didn’t frighten the shit out of me, but it was like I knew you on a cellular level. Like I knew your soul belonged to mine.” Danielle paused, shrugging. “I suppose if you say we’re soul mates, then our souls knew we were supposed to be together. I just had to get past my fear of…sex and men again.” A look of I-just-remembered-something overcame Danielle’s face. “You said all emotions have a scent, right? Oh God, you knew I was scared of you all that time and then...that I liked you?”
Leo tilted his head in a slight nod and grinned a wide smile. He had smelled her fear, then her fear mixed with arousal, until finally there was nothing but the sweet smell of honey whenever she was around him.
“You never said a word,” she exclaimed in surprise.
Leo snorted. “And pray tell, how would I have told you that I smelled the sweet scent of your attraction to me?” he asked, causing Danielle to scrunch her nose and a bloom of red to flame across her cheeks.
Leo lowered his head to kiss along her collarbone, and then down lower, to just above the V of her t-shirt. Raising his eyes to stare deeply into hers, he cupped his hands under her butt cheeks and pulled her that little bit closer to his groin. He shifted his hips up so her core ran along his hard length. He received a low, sexy groan, which was music to his ears.
Danielle’s arms disappeared from around his neck to lift her t-shirt over her head, revealing a pink, lacy bra covering her luscious breasts. His eyes no longer stared into hers, they lowered to her pale breasts peeking over the top of her bra. Leo’s mouth watered with a wanting to taste her creamy skin. He’d waited so long for this that his calm exterior was no longer, and his hands shook as he unfastened her bra, leaving it to fall down her arms. He covered a dark, dusky nipple with his mouth, sucking the bud deeply and feasting on it like a babe.
