by E A Price
“If you don’t want the money for yourself, use it for the charity.”
Tempest let out a sound of frustration. “Harlan…”
“Don’t argue with me about this!”
“Harlan, I’m falling in love with you!”
“I said…” He froze and stared at her. “What did you say?”
Tempest smiled anxiously. “I’m falling in love with you.”
“One more time.”
“I’m falling in love with you!” she snapped.
He dropped his drink and leaped over to her, grasping her arms and inhaling that beautiful scent that drove him so, so wild.
There was a ‘but’ coming – there had to be a ‘but’ coming. For a few seconds, he could pretend that there was a chance for them. He’d shied away from any relationship that could mean anything to him, that could lead anywhere for eight years – fearing a repeat of Corinne. But with Tempest, he wanted to throw caution to the wind – he wanted to be with her and damn the consequences. Except, he couldn’t be. He’d finally found his mate in Tempest, and he would spend the rest of his life away from her.
He waited for the ‘but,’ and it never came. He leaned back and looked into her happy eyes. The depth of feeling in them was staggering.
“I thought… I…”
“I’m not having Eric’s baby if that’s where you’re going with that.”
Harlan growled, and she tinkled with laughter.
“I wanted a baby because I wanted a family – I thought it was the only way I would get one. But things are changing. Now, I have Mira here to stay, and no doubt she and Branch will become baby-making machines. Also, I’m becoming closer to my dad, and then there’s Candace, plus I’ll always have Heather – she’s like a cross between a big sister and a devil sitting on my shoulder. Not to mention you…”
She peeked up at him, almost trying to hide behind her eyelashes and bangs. “We’ve gone about this all wrong, and I know it’s sudden, but I want to be with you. If you don’t want that, just say the word, and I’ll go, and I’ll sign the divorce papers, and we never have to talk about this again.”
His beast chuffed inside him. Of course he wanted that. He wanted her more than he wanted to breathe.
“Tempest,” he rumbled. “I want you, but my herd…”
Her face blossomed into an exquisite expression of delight. “You want me?”
“Of course I want you,” he crooned, dragging her lips to his for a kiss.
Her taste exploded over his lips. He wanted to remember her sweetness, wanted to remember the softness of her lips and the way she emitted little moans of joy as his tongue delved into her mouth. He wanted this moment of perfection to last forever. This beautiful, flawless moment, before he had to send her away.
Of course, it had to end prematurely.
“What the hell?” snapped a shrill voice behind them.
Dazedly, he pulled away from Tempest’s pillowy lips and raised his focus to Corinne who was virtually frothing at the mouth.
“Get away from my fiancé, you bitch!” howled Corinne, moving toward them.
Harlan snarled and wrapped his arms around Tempest protectively. Surprisingly, rather than being angry with either Corinne or him or both, Tempest just let out a contented mewl and snuggled against him in a tender way.
“Harlan!” yelled Corinne. “Let go of her.”
“He’s not your fiancé,” cooed Tempest in a very nearly haughty, yet still somehow hot, voice.
“Harlan, let go,” insisted Corinne.
“He’s not your fiancé,” Tempest told her calmly, “because he’s my husband.”
Corinne’s jaw dropped open. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Mmm, sorry, honey, we’re married, so he’s not available to marry or mate you.”
Corinne stared at Harlan. “Tell me she’s an escaped lunatic!”
Harlan grunted, and her nostrils flared before she stormed out.
“That was unfortunate,” he murmured, though without much heat.
“She had to be told sooner or later that you’re not available,” said Tempest completely unconcerned. “Though, I agree that it was hardly the most tactful way to tell her – if it were anyone but her, I’d say it was too cruel, but I don’t really have much sympathy where your ex is concerned.”
Harlan groaned and stroked Tempest’s hair. It was so silky to the touch; he adored the way it tumbled between his fingers. Would she mind if he cut off a hunk for later? Or had he veered into creepy territory again?
“Tempest, I’m still supposed to marry her.”
Tempest sighed, and even though he resisted, she wiggled out of his grip and pulled open the envelope she brought with her. She handed him a copy of a marriage certificate.
“What is this?” he asked slowly.
“My private detective friend found it. Correct me if I’m wrong, but won’t your mating agreement be null and void if one of the parties was already either mated or married before it was created?”
“Well, yes…”
He glanced over the certificate. He didn’t recognize either name.
Tempest pointed to the document. “The woman on that certificate – Cora Jenkins – is Corinne. Eleven years ago she married an exceedingly wealthy man, and then proceeded to bleed him dry before she left him and moved on to some other chump... no offence.”
Harlan gaped at her. A glimmer of hopeful light flickered at the end of a long, dark tunnel. “You’re sure?”
“Her husband refused to agree to the divorce, so instead she changed her name slightly, hoping it wouldn’t trace back to her, but,” she produced a copy of the document confirming the name change, “my friend is very good at his job, and she is definitely a second rate con woman. She can argue this isn’t her, but apparently, her husband is still super pissed at her, and will definitely testify that she is Cora, and I hardly think she will want to push this considering that she was trying to commit bigamy. But, I’m sure we can find more evidence of her wrongdoings if we try – who knows how many husbands she has out there.”
“This is incredible,” he muttered staring at the marriage certificate.
“You’re pleased, right?” she asked tentatively.
He looked at her. “Words fail me.”
He dropped the documents to the ground and swung Tempest into a full-on, Morticia and Gomez Addams, movie-style kiss. She giggled and moaned against his lips.
“What the hell is going on?” howled Davies, the Crowe alpha, storming into his office.
Reluctantly, and only because he could almost hear the alpha fizzing, he released Tempest from his embrace. Boy, it really was annoying when people didn’t knock. Maybe he should start knocking… eh, probably not.
Davies, Corinne, and Branch were all staring at them.
“That’s her,” shrieked Corinne, “that’s the one who said she was married to him!”
“Temp?” Branch gave her a baffled look. “What’s happening?”
Harlan looked at Tempest who gave him an encouraging smile. He grinned wolfishly. He was going to enjoy this.
Twenty-Four
“Your place is beautiful,” enthused Temp.
Harlan relaxed on the couch and indulgently watched her as she looked around. “I had an interior decorator. I barely notice it to be honest. You can redecorate it any way you want.”
Temp stopped in the process of inspecting a piece of modern art and blinked at him. “Redecorate?”
“Yeah.” He rolled his shoulders unconcernedly. “When you move in.”
“I’m moving in?” she asked wondrously.
He chuckled softly. “Of course – we are married. We should live together, and given that you are renting, it makes more sense to live here.”
She replaced the sculpture to its shelf and padded over to the couch, perching next to him.
“You’re right. I hadn’t really thought about the logistics of this whole marriage thing.” She chewed on her lip for a few be
ats. “Are you sure this isn’t too fast for you? I mean we’ve gone from zero to a married couple in less than two weeks – something like that is enough to freak anyone out, and neither of us has been very good at relationships or commitment in the past.”
Harlan cupped her cheek and smiled. “I’m sure,” he said without hesitating. “You?”
“I’m sure too,” she admitted gleefully. “I thought my sister was crazy when she fell for Branch so fast, but now I can see what she was talking about.”
“Well, we reindeer are irresistible.” He tried to look modest and failed horrifically.
“Yeah, you kind of are,” she agreed, leaning toward him for a kiss.
Oh, kissing him was so perfect, so right. To think of all the years she had spent lumbering from one bad relationship to the other, always being afraid to commit, afraid of getting hurt – and she had been completely turned on her head within two weeks of meeting a reindeer shifter. If she was stopping to think about it, she might actually be a little surprised.
Branch had been shocked silent for a whole ten minutes. Mira hadn’t been quite so shocked, in fact, she wasn’t shocked at all, just deliriously happy for them both. As were Harlan’s mother and sister - their astonishment at Harlan being married was quickly replaced by relief at the fact that he no longer had to mate Corinne. Before Harlan managed to ferry Temp out of the building, she had already agreed to several shopping and lunch trips with the two of them.
She could tell that Branch wasn’t sure about what to make of this turn of events, but she also knew that Mira would quickly persuade him that he should be happy for them. Though, Branch was thrilled about the fact that he was able to tell Corinne and her alpha where to stick their mating agreement – he got security to throw them out of the building - literally. They bounced on the sidewalk.
Temp smiled and took his spare hand in hers, tracing his knuckles. He rubbed his thumb over her cheek.
“We should get wedding rings,” she murmured.
Harlan chuckled, and disengaged her hand. He pulled his wedding ring out of his pocket.
Temp let out an aww of amusement. “You kept it! So did I!”
She pulled out her own and they clinked rings. Though, given that they were made of questionable material, it was more of a clunk.
“I couldn’t get rid of it,” he murmured.
“Me either.”
“But I think we should probably buy better ones.”
“Definitely – mine started turning my finger green.”
They laughed and she placed the rings on the coffee table.
“I suppose this is a sudden and big adjustment,” she murmured. “We should probably talk about that and the changes we’re going to have to make.”
“Go ahead,” he cooed. “Let’s… negotiate.”
The word sent an excited shiver through her.
Temp put on her game face. “I agree we should live at your place.”
“Good.”
“I really like the way it is decorated already, but that statue has to go.”
She inclined her head at the piece of questionable modern art. She usually didn’t mind any kind of art, but frankly, it looked like a giant penis – maybe that was the point, but she didn’t like the idea of facing that over her morning coffee.
“Agreed. You will need a bodyguard while you are at work. No arguments. I’ll speak to Branch – he can probably give us his enforcer Tank, he’s big and scary and won’t make me want to run down there every five minutes to check you’re okay.”
“I’m not sure that’s necessary, but in the spirit of co-operation, I’ll agree to it. You know I want children – quite a few in fact, that’s a deal breaker.”
“I think I can manage that.” He leaned forward and snuck a kiss. “Mmmm, we also have to take a honeymoon, because we have been married for over a week now, and I need to see you lounging on a beach in just a bikini.”
“Fine,” she breathed with a mock sigh, “but it has to be after the Easter show at the center – we’ve been practicing too hard, and I’ve decorated far too many eggs for me to miss it. Plus, my dad’s wedding is on the thirtieth. I have to attend that – if only to cattle prod him down the aisle.”
“Agreed.”
She gulped as his lips moved to her neck. “Is there anything else?” Because there were more important things, she wanted to get to.
“Can’t think of a damn thing,” he growled against her skin.
“Thank heavens,” she cooed, a moment before his lips captured hers again.
She moaned into his mouth as his hands flew over her body, yanking and pulling at her clothes. Her own feverish hands struggled undressing him. She wanted him so badly she thought she might explode.
Finally freed, he growled in delight at the sight of her nakedness, and she answered him with an appreciative moan. He was absolutely divine. So beautiful, so perfect.
He pressed her back against the couch and nestled into her body. His manhood throbbed against her aching, needy sex. Had it really only been a matter of days since they were last together? It felt like a long time – too long, almost a lifetime. Yes, she felt like she had been waiting for him for a lifetime – it had been a long and lonely wait, but as she curled her arms around her perfect, sexy man, she realized he had been well worth it.
Harlan pushed a hand between them. She yelped as he tickled his fingers over her swollen clit, chuckling at her reaction. He gripped his hard length, aligning himself with her waiting, demanding entrance.
Temp shivered, cooing in delight as he slowly filled her. Her body opened to him, molding itself around him, clasping him to her. Harlan let out a long, sensual snarl as he came to rest inside her fully. She fluttered kisses over his neck, eliciting happy little growls from her husband.
He started rocking his body in and out of hers. His mouth found her breasts, and he eagerly suckled at her flesh. How could she have ever thought she could live without this – without him?
She couldn’t deny that she would worry about Harlan leaving her or letting her down – she’d had years to allow that fear to grow and blossom within her, but deep down, etched into her soul, she knew Harlan was the one for her. She’d felt something for him the moment they met – at the bar when the creep was harassing her. She felt a spark even then, and within days the spark quickly ignited, until it grew into a blazing inferno.
He thrust into her again and again. Her hands splayed over his back, keeping him near – she never wanted to let him go, wanted him with her forever. She’d finally found someone who needed and wanted her, and she adored him with all her heart.
His movements were starting to become erratic as he neared his end. His growls became louder, rougher and heat poured through her as he relentlessly pumped himself inside her.
Her body quivered and shook, and as she looked up into his beast-blackened eyes, she whispered, “I love you.”
Harlan howled as he flew over the edge. He drove himself inside her almost violently and poured his release inside her. Her body tightened and then she was flying, pure bliss floated through her body as she held this wonderful man so close.
“I love you, too,” he growled, fervently kissing her neck.
Yes, she was sure he did.
Epilogue
One year later
Harlan strolled through the center, waving hello at the various volunteers and employees. The charity had grown and grown over the past year due to the heavy funding provided by the herd. He was pleased that Branch was so generous, though the larger the charity became, the less he saw his mate.
Tempest had given in and hired more people to help her run it, but she was still very hands on. Tank – one of the herd’s enforcers – was perched on Marion’s desk. Harlan said hello to both of them. Tank nodded, and Marion gave him a dazzling smile as he pushed his way into his mate’s office.
He never knocked, and it frequently irritated her. He liked seeing the way she scrunched up her pretty face wh
en she was chastising him.
Harlan found her poring over a calendar. Her beautiful features were set in concentration, and her pink lips pouted slightly. He took a moment to appreciate her before he said, “Tempest, we’re going to be late.”
“Mmmm.”
She started chewing on her bottom lip, and he chuckled. “Come on now, beautiful,” he crooned, carefully lifting her to her feet and helping her into her coat. “I’m sure work will wait. It’s not every day that our families throw us a surprise anniversary party.”
Yes, Mira, his mom, Heather, Candace, Marion, and Ariel had conspired to throw them a party on St. Patrick’s Day – the true anniversary of their wedding. Though they reckoned without Marion’s twins blurting out the truth to them when they were babysitting. They really shouldn’t have planned the party while the twins were in the room – little ears heard so much. Not that either he or Tempest minded. No, they were too excited for the party, and to celebrate one year of wedded bliss. They had been practicing their surprised faces all week. After hours of practice, they finally had it nailed. It wasn’t quite the surprise of aliens landing on earth, but was a little more surprised than finding the last coconut chocolate in the box - so, a little less than flabbergasted, but more than pleasantly pleased.
“I wasn’t working,” said Tempest slowly. “I was just working out when he or she will arrive.”
“He or she?” murmured Harlan. He lifted her hair out of her coat and took the opportunity to kiss her neck.
“Mmm, the baby. I’m pregnant.”
His lips froze on her neck. “You are?” he mumbled against her skin.
“Yep, about six weeks by my calculation.”
He leaned back, mildly stunned. All that preparation for the perfect surprised face, and now he was nailing it without any effort.
“Beautiful, that’s…”
“Nerve-wracking? Worrying? Unexpected? Wonderful?” she supplied grinning at him.
“Yes, all of the above,” he cried, pulling her into his arms and kissing her soundly.
She was perfect, everything was perfect, and soon, they would have their own little perfect bundle of joy. He really was born under a lucky star to have found Tempest. She was his heart, his mate, and his everything.
