by Anya Nowlan
Leaning even closer, she wrapped her arm around the passenger seat so that her head was almost level with his. It became increasingly difficult to concentrate on the road as all he could think about was turning his head and pressing his lips to hers.
Yup. Definitely trouble.
Her enthusiasm about the topic was adorable, and he wanted to answer all the questions he could.
It was nice to be this immediately accepted by someone. There were still some pretty vocal groups of people who felt threatened by the superior physicality of shifters, not to mention that their animal forms could easily rip people apart. They were predators, after all.
“We heal much faster than humans, especially if there are others of our kind around. We’re connected like that, drawing power from each other. The presence of our mates has a similar effect.
“And some shifters are also suspicious of doctors, fearing they’d turn out to be more like test subjects than patients. All of that combined, I don’t doubt your ER’s lack of shifter cases.”
Nodding eagerly, Carlie seemed to think that over, her eyes fixed at some point out the window. He gave her time to process the information, taking the opportunity to study her features. Everything about her was rounded and soft, with a gentleness to it that made his protective instincts kick into high gear. “That makes sense. What’s that you said about… ‘mates’?”
Feeling more nervous than he had reason to be, he did his best to explain it. As he recalled how other shifters had described what finding one’s mate feels like, the feeling of uneasiness only grew.
“Shifters have soul mates, people they are meant to spend their lives and have children with. It’s a bit of a lofty concept, having to do with fate and destiny and all that. But from what I’ve heard from those who have found their mates, it’s very real.”
Carlie nodded slightly, taking it in.
“How do you even know when you’ve found yours?”
“You just know,” he shrugged. “I’ve heard it described as an intense, immediate attraction that only builds as time goes on, quickly creating intimacy and feelings of attachment and protectiveness.”
Carlie was chewing on her lower lip, hanging off his every word. He watched her from the rearview mirror when he couldn’t crane his neck to look at her, though she was visible from the corner of his eye the whole time.
“Sounds pretty special,” she remarked, her voice almost a whisper.
He didn’t know what to say to that, wrapped up in his own confusion. Wasn’t everything he was describing happening to him, right now? It seemed crazy, too much of a coincidence, too complicated…
And yet, wasn’t this what he had been looking for? Could the restlessness he had felt in Miami been a sign, pushing him towards finding his mate?
“Carlie, would you and Ava like to come to Sweetwater with me?” he suddenly asked, breaking the silence they had fallen into before he could talk himself out of the question.
“Umm, you’re serious?” she asked back, mirroring his own surprise.
His bluntness had gotten the best of him again, his mouth forming words without giving his brain time to catch up. Mates or not, there was definitely a connection between him and Carlie, and he wanted to see where it lead.
She didn’t have a plan laid out, so why shouldn’t she come with him? They were both looking to start over, why not lean on each other?
Add to that, he was still worried about Tom or what’s-his-name catching up with Carlie and Ava, and he’d rather keep them close.
His bear purred in his chest approvingly, the animal and man in perfect agreement for once.
“I couldn’t be more serious.”
After glancing back at Ava, Carlie turned to face him, something he couldn’t name flitting across her face. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, waiting for her response, hoping he would get to spend more time with her and Ava. A roadtrip meant to give him time to figure himself out had turned into something entirely different, and he didn’t mind at all.
I have all the time in the world to figure myself out. I might not have that much time to figure this woman out, though.
“Sweetwater better be as beautiful as you made it out to be,” she grinned, drawing a wide smile from him in response.
Carlie and Ava were both asleep in the backseat when he pulled into Sweetwater. Carlie had driven for a couple of hours so he could get some rest, but they’d switched back before entering Wyoming. Good thing he was a werebear and didn’t need quite as much sleep on a regular basis as a normal human being.
After she’d said yes, he’d been in a real hurry to get off the road and into Sweetwater. He couldn’t quite explain it, but it simply felt right to go there, especially now. Especially with Ava and Carlie.
Rolling his window down, he took a deep breath of mountain air, the scent making his bear stir inside him. From his rearview mirror, he could see Carlie waking with a yawn, sitting up to look out her window.
“You weren’t kidding. Now that’s a view,” she commented, staring in awe at the mountaintops shooting up into the clouds in the distance, her yawn forgotten mid-motion.
“Now we just have to find a place to stay,” he replied, pulling up his maps app to find the nearest tourism office.
It wasn’t hard to find, located at a red brick building not far off the center of town. Carlie stayed in the car to give Ava her lunch while he strolled inside, getting a warm welcome from the middle-aged woman behind a stack of maps with local sightseeing spots. Every step he took, he felt a spring coming to it. Like he was floating. It was ridiculous, but hell if he minded it one bit.
“Hello, there. My name is Miriam. Is it your first time visiting Sweetwater?”
“Hi. Yeah, it is. I’m looking for a place to stay, don’t really know for how long yet.”
“Well, the local hotel is getting most of its rooms renovated right now… There is a bed & breakfast available, but if you really want to get the Sweetwater experience, there’s someone I can put you in touch with. He rents out cabins up near the mountains,” she explained, considering Devlin over the rim of her glasses.
He must have looked trustworthy enough, even as a bulky werebear in his late twenties, with scruff on his cheeks and a construction worker’s tan. Devlin was about to feel damn good about how approachable he was, when he noticed her attention flicking between him and the car parked outside.
Oh.
It wasn’t him that was so trustworthy. It was the young woman laughing and talking to a baby girl that gave him that kind of credibility.
“The Sweetwater experience. That sounds right up my alley,” he said, grinning.
And Carlie will love being near the mountains.
Now he just had to find a way to share a cabin with her without giving in to the urge to pull her close and see what she tasted like.
Six
Carlie
Devlin pulled up to the cabin, following the instructions the owner had given him, while she stayed in the car. The cottage was meant for vacationing families, which in turn meant there was already a crib set up in one of the bedrooms.
My luck really has turned. First running into Devlin, and now being able to stay here with him and Ava.
Adding to that, Carlie had no ties to Wyoming, which would make it that much harder for Detective Silas to find her. Hiding out wasn’t exactly a longterm plan, but she would take what she could get at the moment. She had all the time in the world to worry about the future.
All she had to focus on now was keeping her face out of sight. With her picture blasted all over the news, she couldn’t take the chance of anyone recognizing her and calling the tip line.
At least the owner had said the cabin didn’t have a TV or internet, so she wouldn’t have to worry about Devlin catching a broadcast branding her a kidnapper and maybe even a murderer. But how was she going to manage to stay out of town?
One problem at a time, she reminded herself.
She grabbed the
car seat while Devlin picked up the bags of take-out they’d gotten on the way over. Carlie had spent the whole time they were driving around town slunk down in her seat with her head down, earning odd looks from him but fortunately no questions followed. Her muttered explanation of having a migraine had been enough, this time.
She doubted it would work again.
He must think I’m a real weirdo.
Which brought up another issue. If they were going to be staying here awhile, Devlin would get suspicious sooner or later when she refused to show her face around Sweetwater. That meant she would have to pile on more lies to explain her odd behavior.
After he’s been so open with me, I can’t help but feel like a real piece of shit. But my feelings don’t matter right now, as long as Ava’s safe.
Worrying her lower lip, Carlie followed in after the big bear of a man.
Devlin led the way, unlocking the door and gesturing her and Ava inside. The earthy, clean smell of wood filled her nostrils as she stepped through the door.
The interior was decorated in soft, neutral colors, only adding to the rustic vibe of the place. The furniture looked handmade and comfortable and she couldn’t wait to sink into the large couch facing the fireplace.
“I’ll set the table up for lunch while you have a look around,” Devlin said, taking the bags he was carrying into the kitchen area.
“What do you think about that, Ava? Is that a good idea? You want to see where we’re staying?” she asked the baby girl, filling the silence so she wouldn’t start babbling nervously at Devlin instead.
Unstrapping Ava, Carlie lifted the little one up to her hip and started exploring the cabin. The smaller bedroom had a little cot set up next to a crib, which would be perfect for her and Ava. The larger bedroom housed a bigger bed, and led to a small bathroom in the back.
She could already imagine Devlin’s naked body wrapped up in the sheets. He was already too hot to handle with his clothes on, picturing him without them was pure torture. Fortunately she wouldn’t have the chance to get tempted by the sexy shifter, as she was going to be sleeping in her own bed.
Alone.
The thought was a little more disappointing than she’d like to admit, so she hurried back into the living room, hoping to distract herself.
“Let’s get another look at those mountains, what do you think, Ava?” she murmured to the baby before giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Her feeling of connectedness to the baby only grew with the time that passed. She’d felt protective of the child the moment Samantha thrust her into Carlie’s hands, but she was beginning to really get a sense for that mama bear kind of tense protectiveness that she saw in some parents when their kids were at the hospital.
Worry and love made for a powerful combination.
A combination she’d thought she’d never really get to experience.
She’d always wanted a family, but her work in the large metropolitan hospital kept her too busy to really hold up a relationship. And without a relationship… well, there could be no babies.
Maybe that’s why I’m so adamant about thinking Ava might be in danger… What if I really am making all of this up in my head just because I don’t want to let her go?
With a lump in her throat, Carlie wandered to one of the windows. Pulling the curtains aside, she stared at the view for a while before studying the rest of her surroundings. Another cabin just like theirs was off to the west, barely within eyeshot. A small, grassy road connected them, passing through near the front of their cottage and heading back into town.
Ava was getting fussy, wiggling around in her arms and yawning. Carlie exhaled softly, kissing the top of the baby’s head. It had been a long ride here and she needed to clear her mind before she could pretend to answer any of the questions swimming around in her head.
Gently bouncing Ava on her hip, Carlie made her way to the smaller bedroom and set her down in the crib. Lips wobbling, Ava scrunched her face, gearing up for some tears.
“Shh, it’s okay, I’m here,” Carlie cooed, running her hand over Ava’s tummy.
That seemed to calm the little girl down. Carlie stayed standing over the crib until the baby’s eyes grew heavy and she started to doze off. Making her way to the kitchen, she couldn’t help but think back on what Devlin had said about shifters and their mates.
Am I imagining things, or did what he described sound just a little familiar? Or is this another one of my little ‘what ifs’?
Attraction was one thing, especially considering Devlin was practically physically perfect, but she’d been around handsome men before, and they never had the effect he seemed to have on her. He had this rugged, laidback charm to him that just… did things to her.
But she didn’t want to make an ass of herself and assume things. From what he had told her, she gathered the whole finding one’s mate thing was a big deal and they’d only just met. There was no need to rush things. And it was frankly a little presumptuous of her to think that he’d see her as that.
But he did invite me here… Is he just that nice of a guy?
The fact that she’d accepted the invitation almost without question didn’t exactly escape her either.
While she was pretty sure Devlin was attracted to her, she didn’t want to embarrass herself if it turned out he was just being nice and she was reading too much into it.
So she all but tip-toed into the kitchen, careful to keep her distance from Devlin as she sat down at the table. He had already plated some comfort food, still steaming hot from the local diner, and taken the seat opposite her, smiling a smile that would make any girl melt.
And even though she was on the run from a dirty cop, hiding a baby that wasn’t hers, staying in a strange town with a man she just met…
“This feels like a vacation,” she blurted out, inwardly cursing the bad phrasing. “What I mean is… It’s nice here and I feel safe with you. Thank you for letting us stay with you.”
It seemed all she did was thank him, yet she still felt it wasn’t enough. How much power did words really have?
“You don’t have to thank me. I like having you guys around,” he smiled, edging a plate full of hash browns and sausage towards her. “And if anyone deserves a vacation, it’s you.”
“It’s definitely been a long time since I’ve been anywhere but the hospital or my tiny apartment,” she sighed, digging into her food gratefully.
“I’m guessing your ex didn’t take you anywhere while you were still together?” Devlin asked, after swallowing a large mouthful of chicken and grits.
Oh yeah, my fictitious ex. What was his name again?
“Mm hmm. Jerry wasn’t really the romantic type,” she said, hoping that was enough to sate his curiosity.
“I thought you said his name was Tom?”
Devlin quirked a brow at her and Carlie’s stomach twisted in knots.
Shit! How am I this dumb?
“Well, yeah, but he usually went by his middle name,” she hastened to correct herself.
“So his name is Tom Jerry? Wow, his parents must have really hated him,” Devlin said, arching a brow at her.
Goddamnit, I am the worst liar ever.
“Yeah, totally weird, huh?” she said with an awkward laugh, before stuffing her mouth full of food so she wouldn’t have to talk for a while.
She was too damn good at digging her own grave that day.
The mouth full of food only meant she had more time to think about what a colossal idiot she was being. Fortunately, Devlin seemed to shrug it off, focusing on his meal instead.
They ate mostly in silence, with Carlie fearing that she’d put her foot in her mouth again if she talked. Devlin finally broke the silence, pushing his empty plate away with a satisfied sigh.
“So, what do you want to do tomorrow? I grabbed some brochures from the tourism office, I can look up some places around town we could visit with Ava.”
Carlie could feel the color draining from her cheeks.
<
br /> “Oh, uh… I’d rather stay at the cabin.”
Devlin leaned back in his chair, casually folding his arms behind his back. The hard ridges of his stomach peeked out from under his t-shirt, and Carlie was having a hard time getting her mind to focus, even if it was full-throttle panicking at this point at the thought of being found out.
“Why’s that?” he asked, studying her face.
Fuck. What am I going to say?
Seven
Devlin
It didn’t take a genius to see Carlie was nervous. He had already been feeling she wasn’t telling him everything, and messing up her ex’s name and being hell-bent on keeping a low profile only confirmed his suspicions.
She’s not a very good liar. It’s kind of adorable, really, how flustered she gets. But she’s definitely lying to me.
It hurt his feelings a little, surprisingly enough. He would of course prefer that she didn’t feel like she had to make up stories, but she must have had her reasons and he didn’t want to scare her off by pushing too hard. It was clear she was scared of something catching up with her, and he’d rather act like he believed her and keep her close than call her out and risk her taking off.
Maybe if he kept her talking, she might slip up and reveal something about what was really going on. Out of the options he had available to him, that one seemed the least… destructive, for the time being.
“It’s better if no one sees me around. Tom has connections all over the country, with him being a criminal and all,” Carlie explained, jiggling her foot under the table.
“I don’t think Sweetwater is exactly buzzing with criminals and crime lords. And how many friends can one man have? It’s not very likely anyone’s going to recognize you around here.”
Devlin suppressed a smile as Carlie squirmed in her seat, probably trying to come up with another reason she should stay out of sight. He would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t enjoy making her sweat just a little bit. It brought out the flush in her cheeks and the way she nibbled on her lower lip when she got nervous was sexy as hell.
