by J. K Harper
“Gina, wait.”
Skidding to a halt, already halfway across the deserted clinic, I glanced back.
He stood in the doorway, jeans riding low on his hips, his face a mask of calm. “What were you going to tell me?”
“It doesn’t matter now.” No way was I blurting it out after his declaration, I needed to sort my head out first. And my heart. I rubbed at my chest, wishing the sharp pain away.
“I’d never hurt you, Gina.” His voice was soft, filled with a wealth of emotion I didn’t want to think about.
But he deserved an answer. “I know. I need time, can you give me that?” Time to shore up my defenses and toughen my heart. He might think he could love Lizzie, but he knew her already. This baby wasn’t even born yet.
Hand on the front door, I swallowed hard. I needed this job. It made me feel alive, my lifeline. Trying for normal, I turned and smiled. It came out sheepish. “See you tomorrow?”
His eyebrows shot up.
What had I said? Fear thrummed through me. Was I fired?
“We’re closed tomorrow. The holidays, remember?”
Shit. Christmas. It would be days before I’d find out if I’d screwed things up for good. Then again, it would be days before I’d have to face him again. I couldn’t decide if it was a win or lose situation.
“What are your plans?” Aside from still missing his shirt, he was back to acting the way he had all week. Calm and friendly. Not a sign of the man I’d seen inside the examination room—hungry and hot and near crazy for me.
Like it had never happened.
“Uh… We’re spending the day at Smithrock,” I replied in a slow voice, eyeing him the way a mouse might eye a cat. Or, more like, a salmon eyeing a bear.
He strolled toward me, hands stuffed in his pockets. Coming to a stop about a foot away, he rocked back on his heels. “Is it okay with you if I drop by with a present for Lizzie?”
“Uh…sure?” My voice rose, turning it into a question, one he obviously decided he wasn’t going to answer.
Tilting his head, he murmured, “See you tomorrow, Gina.”
“Yeah, tomorrow.” Cold air blasted me square in the face as I wrenched open the door.
“And, Gina?”
I paused.
A smile that could only be described as wicked played on his lips, his eyes flashing silver in the dimly lit room. “Maybe I can grab something to eat while I’m there? I’m still hungry.”
His low chuckle followed me outside, my cheeks melting the drifting snowflakes with burning heat.
Chapter 15
Jack
Forcing the rigid hold on my body to relax, I moved to the door and peered out into the darkening street, watching Gina scoot down the road and across to the trail that would lead her safely up to Smithrock. A snowflake landed on my nose, melting on contact. Shifting my gaze to the sky, I eyed the clouds, searching for signs of a storm. Everything looked clear, the mountain tops free of the haze that usually accompanied a bad snow fall.
Holding out a finger, I caught a stray flake, willing it to survive. Gina reminded me of a snowflake. Unique and fragile. If you looked closely, it wasn’t only exquisite, it was strong. Beautiful. Like my mate.
Rolling my eyes at my mangled metaphors, I blew the flake off the end of my finger, watching as it spiraled out into the night to catch a soft breeze and ride it to the ground.
At least the cold had taken the edge off, barely. Raw need still hummed through my veins, my cock still rock hard and aching for release. My bear was annoyed, refusing to speak to me ever since I’d let Gina go, but only after he’d finished deafening me with his roars and snarls, his sharp claws tearing at my skin as he raged for his mate.
He’d understand. Eventually. She needed time.
She had…I checked my watch, blinking at the time…sixteen hours. Enough time to come to terms with the situation, but not enough to stew. Hopefully enough time to miss me. Remembering her sweet scented arousal, how her soft skin had melted against me as she moaned softly against my lips, I gritted my teeth against the surge of need to streak off into the night and find her. To peel down her jeans and lick the sweet honey from between her legs until she screamed and bucked in my hands.
Fuck.
Tomorrow. I had a plan.
Tugging my phone out of my pocket, I thumbed through the menu and hit dial.
“Yup?”
“Tarq, it’s Jack.”
“Yeah, I know. Caller ID, right?”
Ignoring his good-natured jibe, I carried on, “Has Gina gotten home yet?”
“Just a second—” a loud creak, then heavy footsteps reached my ears “—yup, she’s walking into the courtyard right now.”
“Good.”
“You checking up on her?”
“Just wanted to make sure she made it home safe.”
“Good man. Now, if that’s all you—”
“I need an invite to dinner tomorrow.”
Silence on the line. “Is that a good idea?”
“It wasn’t a question.”
A low growl. “Well mine was. Gina is pack—”
“She’s my true mate.”
“Ah.” The single sound held a wealth of meaning. Of understanding. “You got it. See you tomorrow.”
“Appreciate your hospitality, man.”
“Yeah. And, Jack?”
“Yes, Tarq?”
“You be careful with her, you hear me? She’s been through—”
“I know.”
“Good.”
The line went dead.
All that was left to do was wrap the present I’d picked up yesterday and get a good night’s sleep. Adjusting my jeans, I rejigged the plan to make room for a cold shower. Not that I thought it would do any good. My only chance of relief came in the form of one gorgeous, curvy redhead.
My stomach rumbled on cue, and I burst out laughing, the sound bouncing around the deserted snow-clad street and up into the sky.
Chapter 16
Jack
I was up with the sun on Christmas morning, as nervous as a cub about to catch his first salmon. Freshly showered, I finished doing up the last button on my shirt and ran my fingers through my hair, in an attempt to look presentable.
Hours later I sat at my kitchen table, drinking my fifth cup of coffee and checking the clock for the umpteenth time.
Screw it. I’ll walk slow. Grabbing a jacket, I banged out of the door. Two seconds later I banged back in, grabbed the present off the table and resumed my exit. I headed off in the direction of Smithrock, my boots cutting through the freshly laid snow with a loud crunch. The air sparkled around me, wan sunlight streaming through snow laden clouds, the air crisp and clean and invigorating.
Pausing at the edge of the forest, I took a deep breath. It was one of those days that promised endless possibilities. You could feel it crackling in the air and dancing on the soft breeze. A calmness settled in my chest.
Entering the forest, my footsteps grew muffled, my breath puffing out in front with every step. The calmness grew, certainty taking over.
Today was the day. I could feel it in my bones, my blood. My heart. It felt right.
Stomping the snow off my boots, I pushed open the door to the Smithrock packhouse, greeting people with a wave and a smile. Children skipped and ran through the rooms, squealing and playing with innocent delight, their eyes rounded and hands filled with their treasure.
Slinging my jacket over a hook, I toed off my boots and padded into the main room, accepting the slap on the shoulder from Tarq, who stood sentry by the large, heavily decorated tree claiming center stage in the room.
“Merry Christmas, man,” he said, leaning down and scooping a present off the floor, depositing it in a child’s hands with a twinkle in his eye.
“Merry Christmas. You responsible for this?” Indicating the tree, my eyes followed the branches up, way up, until I hit the top, which grazed the high ceiling with a large gold star. The tree looke
d like it had been hit by a decorating hurricane, ornaments of every size and color adorning every branch, sometimes two or three on each, the boughs straining under the weight.
Following my gaze, he winced, a good-natured grin lighting his face. “Nah. We let the children have at it. For a lot of them, it’s their first Christmas, you know.”
I knew. Scanning the room for red hair, auburn caught my eye. Lizzie sat huddled in the corner of the room with a group of three other children, a book open on her lap, her finger following the words on the page as she read aloud. Her brow was scrunched up in concentration, her back hunched and stiff, her finger making slow progress. The other kids hung on her every word, sprawled on the floor next to her, their faces rapt with attention.
She looked up, sliding a finger down the page and carefully turning it, smoothing it down with a gentle press. She whispered in a low voice, teasing giggles from her crowd, but a delicate finger continued to caress the page, as though she worried it might disappear.
Nerves fired up inside me. What if she hated my present? What if she thought it was stupid?
“Momma Everson isn’t going to show up and beat the living shit out of me for stealing her son on Christmas day, right?”
Tuning back into Tarq, I chuckled. “Nope. I’m going over there later. She’s fine with it.”
“Ah. She knows what’s going on then.”
I rolled my eyes. “You think there’s any chance I’d be able to keep it a secret from her?”
“Well, it’s good to have you here—”
“Thanks.”
“—Since you’re about to become a part of the pack, and all.” He flashed me a wicked smirk, eyes dancing with mirth.
I put a hand up, waving off the accusation. A bear joining a wolf pack? Huh. Stranger things had happened. “Hey, not so fast. Give a guy a chance to convince the woman in question first.”
“Better get to it.” He tilted his head, indicating behind me.
“She there?”
“Yup.”
A prickling sensation coursed down my spine, as if I could feel her eyes physically caressing me.
“And…she’s gone again.”
Huh.
At my disappointed expression, Tarq slapped me on the back. “Don’t worry. Everyone’s busy in the kitchen. I’m sure she’s not really running from you.”
Shrugging him off with a good-natured laugh, I made my way over to Lizzie, who had finished her book and now sat with it resting on her lap, her eyes closed and a serene expression on her impish face.
“Lizzie?” I crouched down next to her.
Brown eyes blinked open. “Doctor Jack!” With a squeal she jumped to her feet and threw her arms around my neck, squeezing tight. “I’m so happy you’re here! Momma will be so pleased!” Her words were muffled against my shirt, but I got the gist.
Contentment washed through me as I breathed her in, her scent soft and sweet and so much like her mother’s, the urge to protect and nurture surged through me, the reaction as natural as breathing.
Ours…my bear growled inside my head, sitting back on his haunches as though ready to stand sentry by the child.
“Ours,” I whispered out loud. I hadn’t doubted it. I never thought for one second that I could possibly reject the child, but I hadn’t expected this overwhelming feeling of completeness. This felt right. Peeling her arms off me, I popped her onto my bended knee. “I have a present for you—”
My ears were still ringing from her squeal, the world muffled and fuzzy around me.
“Oops! Momma says I’m too loud sometimes.” Her hand flew to her mouth, but a giggle escaped as I pulled a mock pained expression, goofing it up when she beamed at me.
“Here you go.” Handing her a small package, I watched as her little fingers tore into the colorful paper, destroying in seconds what had taken me nearly half an hour to painstakingly wrap. I’d know better next time.
“What is it?” Paper gone, she stared at the small velvet box in her hands.
I stifled a groan. I should have gone with a book. Or a toy. Kids like toys.
“Oh!” Her quiet gasp dragged me from my inner ramblings. Hooking a finger into the chain, she lifted the small pendant out of the box, letting it dangle in the air. A miniature wolf dangled from the chain. Painstakingly carved from wood, the tiny wolf stood proud, it’s head raised to the sky and mouth open in a howl. It had taken my brother, Craig, hours—working tirelessly all week on my request, through several nights—to finish it to my satisfaction. Every detail was perfect.
“It’s tiny!”
“You’re not a big, bad wolf yet.”
“It’s me?”
“What do you think?”
She peered at the miniature closely, narrowing her eyes as she picked out the small details I had insisted on. The shape of the head, the tuft of hair above the tail, the curve of the snout. The slender body not yet fully grown. “It’s me!” she breathed.
I cleared my throat, nerves thickening my tongue. “If you don’t like—”
“I love it!” Arms flew back around my neck, small lips pressed a kiss to my cheek.
Oh. I squeezed her tight.
“Thank you, Doctor Jack! I can’t wait to show Josh, he’ll be so jealous he’ll turn green!” The squealing was back again, at ear shattering levels. Sliding off my knee, she raced over to her friends, auburn plaits flying out behind her and jean-clad legs bouncing as she held out the pendant for them to inspect.
Straightening up, I looked on, warmth spreading through my chest at the proud purse of her lips, barely stifling her gloating. A clap echoed through the room, one of the packmembers gathering the children together and leading them from the room with a promise of snacks.
I stiffened. The prickling sensation was back, creeping up my spine and curling around my chest. Taking my time, I turned around.
Warm brown eyes pierced through me, knocking the breath clear out of my chest.
The low hum of conversation faded away, my vision tunneling until all I could see was her.
Framed in the doorway, she rested a denim-clad hip against the wood, her arms clasped around her waist. The deep purple of her sweater showcased her creamy skin to perfection, almost clashing with her flame-red hair, but not quite. It worked.
I shifted my stance, need surging up inside of me and dialing up to a roar. Damn. It more than worked. She was stunning.
Her lips curved into a soft smile under the weight of my stare, her cheeks pinking up. Long lashes dusted her cheeks, shielding her eyes from view. But the smile remained. Hesitant. Hopeful. Expectant?
I could only dare wish.
Before I knew it, my legs were carrying me across the room, every single footstep filled with determination. I stopped.
She looked up. Her lips parted. Her eyes pleading with me.
To understand.
She was going to say no.
Dread iced my veins, stopping my heart.
“Gina, please…” I wasn’t too proud to beg.
She held up a hand. “I had it all figured out, knew exactly what I was going to say…and then you went and did that, and now I’m back to square one.”
Relief flooded me, as did uncertainty. “Did what?”
“You told her to be proud of who, and what, she is. You gave my little girl hope.”
She was losing me. “Gina, I don’t know—”
“The little wolf. You could have ignored that side of her, pretended that it didn’t exist, but you didn’t. You showed her that she should be proud of her heritage. Her past.” Her voice was soft, but in no way did it lack conviction.
My turn to frown. “Why shouldn’t she be proud?” I didn’t get it.
“Exactly.”
“Is this because I’m a bear, and she’s a wolf?” I was starting to think she’d have to spell it out.
“No. It’s because you’re a good man, and I’ve been so scared—no, terrified—that you were too good for me.”
�
��Bullshit.” The curse was out before I had chance to stop it. Not that I would have. I was furious that she’d even thought it.
A startled laugh escaped her lips. “Yes, bullshit. But I believed it.”
“And now?”
Her eyes looked past me, to where her daughter had been sat. “I’m proud of my past.”
The simple statement filled the air between us. What did it mean for us? “And your future?” I forced the words out, my voice low and hoarse.
Her lips quirked. “Have you heard that joke? About the bear, the human, and the wolf?”
“No.” It was a low growl as I leaned closer, breathing her in.
Her arms unfolded, fingers spreading against the doorframe as she leaned back to meet my eyes. “I haven’t either.”
I waited. Nothing came. A bark of laughter shot out of my mouth.
Her lips curled up in a smug smile.
Time froze, the air thickened, swirling with intentions and unsaid words. My hand shot out, cupping her chin and tilting her head.
“Hey, man, she doesn’t like being—”
My mouth came down on hers.
“—Oh…” the voice mumbled from behind us, trailing off into silence.
She sucked in a breath, stealing mine and making it her own.
The world fell away. There was only us. Her heart beating next to mine, the soft thud filling my ears like a drum, driving me forward.
Pressing her against the doorframe, I smoothed back her hair, my other hand curling around her waist and dragging her against my chest.
Her soft mewl against my lips told me everything I needed to know.
I took what she offered.
Chapter 17
Gina
He’s kissing me…
That’s all I could think. The only thought that floated through my mind, lost in a fog of desire. My rule of three had gone out of the window. And I didn’t care.
His lips moved against mine, stubble grazing and sending goosebumps skittering over my skin, traveling down my arms to tingle at my fingertips.
Heavy weight pressed against me, deliciously firm and hard, warm and exciting.
