Shifters in the Snow: Bundle of Joy: Seventeen Paranormal Romances of Winter Wolves, Merry Bears, and Holiday Spirits

by J. K Harper

  They stood still, just glaring at each other, their faces inches apart.

  “We were good together, you and me. Remember? What the hell went wrong, Tyla?”

  Tyla couldn’t answer. She couldn’t take her eyes off his mouth. God, she wanted to kiss it.

  In a second, his mouth was on hers. His hand gripped the back of her head, as his other hand pulled her in from the waist.

  It was rough, and angry, and just about the hottest thing ever.

  As his tongue probed hers, she whimpered slightly. She felt like a rag doll in his arms, unable to stop herself yielding to his demands.

  Focus. This is not going to happen.

  His hand slipped down the curve of her back to the swell of her ass. He cupped it, squeezing just a little too hard for comfort. Then he gave it one sharp spank.

  Tyla moaned into his kiss.

  FOCUS, dammit.

  He pushed her against the wall of the closet, edging his knee between her legs. She couldn’t stop herself grinding onto his thigh, as his hands swept up her body and just brushed her breast.

  His hardness surged against her stomach. She wanted him so badly, she felt wild and reckless.

  FOCUS RIGHT NOW, her inner voice screamed at her.

  Using every single ounce of energy she had, she found the strength to pull away. He stared down at her, his eyes heavy with unfulfilled desire.

  “Easy, cheetah. This is great, but… I can’t take a stroll down Memory Lane right now, Quinn. I have to get back to my little girl.” She dabbed at the corner of her mouth with her thumb.

  “Our little girl, you mean.”

  Looking at him made her want to kiss him again, so Tyla looked down at her shoes.

  Those stupid, ankle-twisting shoes were really starting to piss her off.

  She kicked them across the floor and sank down gratefully onto her bare feet.

  Now, of course, Quinn towered over her even more. But she didn’t care.

  “Is there any other reason you didn’t tell me about Louella?”

  She took a deep breath. “You really want to know?”

  He raised one eyebrow.

  “Sure. Okay. Your cheetah traditions are not the childhood I wanted for Louella.” She folded her arms and looked him in the eye. “There’s no way I’d send Louella away to boarding school at seven, like some kind of loveless, joyless British royalty. No way in a million years.”

  “Okay. Why didn’t you just come to me and say ‘Congratulations, you’re a dad. Let’s discuss how we raise her’? Would that have been so hard?”

  “Because cheetahs don’t negotiate. Cheetahs just do what they want. They take over, or they run away. That’s what you big cats do, isn’t it?”

  “Cheetahs never run.” He looked furious.

  “Technically, they do. You people hold the land speed record.” She smiled weakly.

  “I’m not joking around now, Tyla. I just missed out half a decade of my kid’s life, because you decided I would be a deadbeat dad, without even giving me a chance. That’s not okay.”

  “I’m sorry. Truly I am.” Tyla leaned back against a shelf, which creaked a little under her weight. She stood up again hurriedly. “God, Quinn. Maybe I screwed up. But I did what I thought was best. And you were outta there either way. You had places to go, and gold medals to win.”

  “None of that would have mattered compared with being a father.”

  “You know now. Forgive me. Please.”

  Someone on the other side of the door was calling for Quinn. It sounded like one of Noah’s friends.

  Tyla nodded toward the door. “You’re wanted.”

  “Don’t change the subject. This is more important.”

  “Quinn, what do you want me to say? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about our daughter. It wasn’t an easy decision. But believe me when I tell you I did it with her best interests at heart. Not mine. Not yours. Hers.”

  “But I don’t accept your version of what happened. How can it be in her best interests to grow up without a dad?” His jaw muscles clenched. “What did you tell her anyway? Did you tell her I died or something?”

  “No, of course not. I told her I loved her daddy very much and he had to go away for work.” She cleared her throat. “I was going to tell you both when she was a little older, and could understand what it means to get knocked up by a guy who’s not committed to you.”

  He shook his head quickly, in an exasperated gesture. “Not committed? Fuck, Tyla. I was in love with you. You were the one who told me to go.”

  Before Tyla could react, the door burst open and Noah sauntered in.

  “There you are, dude. And you too, Tyla! Awesome. C’mon, we’re cutting the cake. You guys have to be there.”

  Noah was either too discreet or too distracted with his own wedding to ask his friends why they were arguing in a walk-in closet.

  Tyla and Quinn followed him out without another word.

  As she crossed the room, Quinn’s words rang in Tyla’s ears, like an echo.

  “I was in love with you.”

  Had he really said that to her? “I was in love with you”?

  “You were the one who told me to go.”

  Holy shit. Tyla’s hands were shaking.

  I was in love with you too, she was desperate to reply. And I never would’ve told you to go if I’d known how you felt.

  As she walked behind him, she took in the whole of his muscular athletics-toned frame, from perfectly polished shoes to his close-cut hair. His white teeth glinted under the fairy lights as Noah shared a joke with him.

  Not ‘was’.

  It was the first time she fully admitted to herself how she felt.

  I still am in love with you.

  She was in love with Quinn Darbyshire, and she always had been. Ever since the first day she laid eyes on him.

  And now he knew he was the father of her child. And he was pretty pissed that she hadn’t told him. And maybe the heat was still there. But they’d never be able to come back from something like that secret, no matter what.

  And here he was, walking right in front of her, as handsome as he ever was. And her heart ached for him.

  And she was wet from one single kiss, because damn, his touch still lit up her body like a Christmas tree.

  It was a huge mess.

  So now what?

  Chapter 6

  Tyla wasn’t sure how she got through the rest of the wedding reception, knowing Quinn Darbyshire was in the room.

  Especially not after what he had just told her.

  He had been in love with her?

  Why the hell hadn’t she known that at the time?

  Now, he was everywhere she looked. Just when she found herself distracted by something else, there he was.

  He was in her head all the time.

  If she was honest with herself, he had been in her head pretty much for the last five years. She kept that on the low-down, but there it was.

  She hated to admit it, but he occupied her thoughts a lot on the long evenings she spent alone. She certainly thought about him when it was late, and she was all alone in bed.

  On the lonely nights when she couldn’t sleep, she’d remember the contours of his body, and the way he felt deep inside her. And she’d relive it over and over again, with nothing but her own hands and her memories to keep her company.

  She blushed to think of that, now that he was in the room.

  Somehow, the day passed into evening.

  She even remembered most of her maid of honor duties. The wedding feast passed without difficulty. So too did all the speeches, and the endless toasts.

  A few times, she was too distracted by Quinn’s laugh, or smile, or strong forearms, to think of something she was supposed to do. At those times, Mindy helped her out with reminders.

  “Maybe April needs rescuing from the Edwards?”

  “Does April need a refill? Could you catch the server’s eye?”

  Tyla was silently gr
ateful for the solid guidance. She grabbed hold of it like a drowning person holds on to driftwood.

  By eight-thirty, Tyla noticed Louella was yawning and rubbing her eyes. It was way past her usual bedtime. She must have used up a lot of energy shifting with her little friends.

  Tyla stroked her daughter’s hair off her face. “Mindy, I’m going to need to get Louella home. Is her bag of toys in your car?”

  “Yeah. Let me go get them.” Mindy’s glossy black bob haircut swung as she hurried out of the venue.

  Quinn appeared at her side almost instantly.

  “Leaving already?”

  Oh, man. That voice again.

  Had he been watching her?

  She ought to think that was creepy. But really, she found it kind of hot that he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  Oh, God. Stop thinking about what he said earlier.

  Stop thinking about what it felt like to be slammed against the wall and kissed. Stop thinking about what he’d do if you took him home. How his strong hands would tear off clothes, and…

  Stop.

  Stop right now, Tyla Crosby.

  STOP THINKING ABOUT HIM NOW.

  She swallowed her feelings and smiled briskly up at him. “Yep. Louella needs to sleep. We’ll see the happy couple again at the Christmas Gathering tomorrow, so, yeah. I guess it’s time to go.”

  “Is your car out front?”

  “I got a ride with the bridal party. I’ll just call an Uber, it’s fine.”

  “Let me drive you home.”

  Tyla’s eyes narrowed. “Have you been drinking, Quinn?”

  He smiled at her prim question. “Never. Not even one beer, ma’am. Coach’s orders. I’m in training.”

  Could she allow him to drive them home, or would that be too risky?

  She wouldn’t be able to let him kiss her goodbye, in front of Louella. So maybe it would be safe.

  Before she could make up her mind, they were interrupted.

  “Hey, Tyla!” It was Noah’s mom. “We’re just driving back in your direction. Doug forgot his meds and we need to pick them up. Why don’t we give you and Louella a ride home on the way? We still have the grandkids’ car seats installed in back.”

  Tyla looked helplessly at them. “Uh… Wow, thank you. That’d be great.”

  She shot Quinn an apologetic look. He smiled and held his hands up, as if in defeat.

  “Maybe I’ll see you around before you leave,” she muttered.

  “Oh, you definitely will,” he said. He bent down to ruffle Louella’s chestnut curls. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

  “Goodnight!” giggled Louella, now fully human in her pink pants and yellow tee. She was barefoot, so Tyla scooped her up in her arms and settled them both in the back of the car.

  Tyla fastened their seat belts and smoothed down Louella’s party dress.

  As Mrs Bishop drove away, Tyla felt a sudden urge to look back. She turned to see Quinn’s muscular frame silhouetted against the bright doorway.

  He stood facing the direction of the retreating car, his hands in his pockets.

  This isn’t over.

  She knew in her heart that it wasn’t.

  * * *

  Louella snuggled up to Tyla and pulled her mother’s arm onto her lap. Tyla kissed the top of her head. “It’s been a long day, hasn’t it honey? We’ll be home soon.”

  “I like the big man,” Louella yawned.

  “The big man?”

  “Big man! He said bye bye. I like him.”

  She meant Quinn. Of course she did.

  Tyla had always known she’d have to tell Louella more about her daddy, one day. She just hadn’t expected that day to come this weekend.

  “Sure you do. We’ll be home in a little while, baby. Soon you’ll be in your own bed fast asleep.”

  Louella nodded and yawned again.

  Tyla had never felt so wired and buzzing in her life. If she got any sleep tonight, she’d be amazed.

  Quinn Darbyshire. Back in her life, for one day only.

  She chewed her lip, absent-mindedly.

  Maybe he’d be around for more than one day. But only for Louella’s sake. It had to be strictly platonic.

  Whatever happened next, she had one priority and one only. Louella. Nothing else mattered. She’d do anything to keep that little girl safe and happy.

  Mrs Bishop stopped at a red light, and turned to Tyla.

  “Didn’t April look beautiful?”

  Tyla was grateful for the small talk. “She did. Such a pretty dress too. Did you help pick it out?”

  “Why, yes! Those girls couldn’t decide. I helped them out. Say, are you going to the Christmas Gathering tomorrow?”

  “Yes, I think it’ll be great. We should have snow too.”

  On and on the conversation went. Not one word of it was about Quinn, to Tyla’s relief.

  With Mrs Redding’s help, she was able to distract herself with conversation about the wedding all the way home.

  Her cellphone pinged just as she put the key in the door.

  Could that be Quinn? Did he have her number?

  Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she fumbled for the phone.

  You okay T? Q lost without you. Hope all good with you guys. Call me in the morning. A XXX

  It was April. Not Quinn.

  Tyla pushed down the slight feeling of disappointment and took her daughter in the house.

  Chapter 7

  Tyla felt better after a shower. Wrapped in her fluffy pale blue bathrobe, she towel-dried her hair and smoothed night cream onto her face.

  She’d read a book. That’s what she’d do.

  She’d lose herself in another world, so she didn’t spend any more time worrying about the real one.

  Louella slept soundly in her bed, surrounded by her stuffed animals. She’d tired herself right out, shifting on the dance floor like that. It took a lot out of a kid to shift back and forth. She’d grow used to it as she got older, Tyla knew. But shifting wasn’t something she had personal experience with.

  Her mind wandered back to Louella’s father. Quinn, the handsome cheetah shifter. She wondered how he’d found life as a baby shifter, when he was Louella’s age.

  Had he gotten into any trouble while shifting? Had he ever found himself away from home without a set of clothes to change back into after a sudden shift?

  These were the kinds of things Tyla worried about for Louella. Not having grown up as a shifter herself, she would have to work it all out as she went along.

  Poor Louella would really benefit from knowing her shifter family. They could help her get used to life as a shifter.

  She didn’t even have proper knowledge to share about her witching ancestry.

  Guilt flooded Tyla as she thought about what her little girl was missing. All that magical heritage, and nobody to train her in the magical traditions.

  Having Quinn in Louella’s life would be best for all of them. She could see that.

  Closing her eyes, she knew what she had to do.

  Despite how uncomfortable her feelings for him might make her, she’d have to fix proper contact time for Louella and her father. And she’d need to tell Louella about Quinn pretty fast.

  She’d call one of Noah’s buddies in the morning and ask them for Quinn’s number. They could work out some kind of access, and Louella could get to know her daddy.

  It’d go slowly, at first. They’d have to be careful how they told Louella, and how quickly they went with it all.

  Oh, God. She regretted so much that she hadn’t told Quinn about his daughter. She felt terrible for both of them.

  Yet, she truly had felt she was acting with Louella’s wellbeing front and center.

  Could she sleep? Some rest would make everything feel less overwhelming. Then, in the morning, she’d—

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car engine right outside the window.

  She glanced at her cellphone. One o’clock. Nobody just stoppe
d by randomly at one o’clock.

  A soft knock at her door made her jump.

  In her heart, and her bones, she knew who it was before she even opened the door.

  She edged it open just a crack.

  Quinn Darbyshire stood there, looking agitated.

  “I had to come,” he said.

  * * *

  Without a word, Tyla held the door open.

  Damn. She wasn’t dressed for visitors. Especially not this one.

  No makeup, shiny face cream and wet hair. Great look.

  Pulling her robe more tightly around her, she closed the door behind Quinn. “Would you like something to drink?”

  He ignored the question. “I need to know.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Do you still feel it?”

  A surge of desire hit Tyla as they locked eyes. Did she ever.

  She pretended she didn’t know what he meant. “Feel what?”

  Quinn crossed the whole of the floor in three steps. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close to him. “Tell me you don’t still want me, and I’ll leave.”

  Tyla searched his face for clues. “You came here for a booty call?”

  “No! No. Of course not.” He loosened his grip on her a little. “But the feeling is still there. Right? It is for me. I think it is for you.”

  She pushed his hands off her and stepped back. “You’re sure you haven’t been drinking now?”

  “No. Why are we wasting time? We were great together, you and me. Tell me you don’t feel it, and I’ll go.”

  “I’m not interested in casual sex, Quinn. I have responsibilities.” Tyla heard the wobble in her own voice.

  “Jeez, Tyla. I’m not here just to get lucky.”

  “No?”

  He ran his hands through his hair impatiently. It ruffled perfectly, like he was being styled for a photoshoot.

  Typical Quinn. Always the most effortlessly stunning guy in town.

  Quinn sighed slowly. “Okay. Okay. Rewind. I’m trying to make things right here.”

  He stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. She could feel his warm breath against her forehead.