by V. Vaughn
“Of course I will. Are you afraid?” I told her that I was most likely pregnant, and she knows I plan to move in with Parker tomorrow.
“Not as afraid as I am of losing you.” I sit up and twist so we’re facing each other. “I’m worried you aren’t going to eat right or remember to shower.”
“I did all of those things when you were little. But you’ve got a nurturing nature and needed to take care of something. So I let it be me.”
“Why didn’t you ever date?”
“Your father hurt me badly, and when he left, I was a mess. I wasn’t the best mother during that time, so I decided to swear off men for a while. I guess it became a habit.”
I smile, and Mom starts to shake her head. She says, “I know that look. Don’t you dare think you need to find me a boyfriend.”
“What kind of daughter would I be if I stopped taking care of you?”
Mom throws a piece of popcorn at me. “I’m serious. I wouldn’t know the first thing about dating and am too old to learn now.”
“The alpha of my pack is a widower.” I grab her bowl of ammunition and add, “You might like what werewolves have for equipment.”
“Trixie! Are you talking about sex with me? Goodness, I like what Parker’s doing to you.”
I grin. “You have no idea.” I stand up to clear our snacks and say, “Oh wait. You probably do.”
Mom holds her hand up. “I’m drawing the line now. I can’t think about you that way.”
“Fair enough. But I’m not giving up the finding you a werewolf idea.” Glasses rattle as I pull the dishwasher open. “It would be good research.”
“Research? Now there’s an idea.” She tosses tissues in the garbage.
I walk over to wrap my arms around her waist and pull her in for a hug. “Mom, I may be moving out, but I hope you know I plan to talk to you every single day.”
She pulls away to place a hand on my cheek. “This is natural, sweetie. You’re supposed to move on with your life when you grow up. If you didn’t, then we’d just be creepy.”
“I like our kind of creepy. Just you wait. I’m going to hook you up with a werewolf so we can be.”
Mom kisses my forehead. “Don’t you worry about me. Go live the life you’re meant for, and give me grandchildren to play with.”
I think about the baby that is a tiny seed in my belly. I hug Mom again. “I will.”
14
“You’re sure Paul is coming.” Plastic wrap tears from the roll as I remove it to cover the potato salad I just made.
“Yes. I’m sure.” Parker places a hand on my stomach as he comes up behind me to kiss my neck. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep our secret. Do we really have to wait until twelve weeks?”
I turn to face him. “You don’t expect me to believe you’ve kept it a secret? Once I told my mother I was pregnant, you let it slip to a few people too.”
“You caught me. What can I say? There’s something about knowing my child is in your belly that strokes my ego and makes me want to brag.”
I place my hand on his chest, and his muscles flex under my fingers. He’s such a guy. “Eleven weeks is probably safe. You can tell people today.”
We’re having a barbecue for the Fourth of July, and I know Parker would love to announce our news to everyone at the party. I pull the bowl off the kitchen counter that is now regulation height. “Put this in the fridge for me?” And stop bothering me. I have so much to get done before people get here. I grin at how useful telepathic speaking is for getting my point across.
“Fine. I’ll go make sure everything’s ready for the bonfire.”
A small smile forms on my lips as I think about my plan. Paul, our alpha, lost his wife and true mate over a year ago. I’m told nobody’s ever had more than one true mate, and that makes him eligible for my mother. I think it’s time she got a man in her life too. But she’d kill me if she thought I set her up, so I decided it would work best if they met at a big party where neither one is uncomfortable.
I pull the grocery bag of plastic utensils out and rip open packages. The cutlery clatters as I organize it in a basket. It’s the strangest thing. Because I’ve never been one to have intuition, but something in my gut is telling me Paul and Mom belong together.
Male voices carry into the house through the screen door. I wander over to look. Ekton is here with his brothers, and they’re giving Parker a hard time about how his fire is built. I chuckle as Ekton begins to toss the logs off to the side so he can redo it.
Once Ekton discovered I was a wolf, he told me he’d always known. But he wasn’t sure how to approach me about it, because he sensed I didn’t have any idea. My feet tap as I step out onto the porch, and he notices me. “Trixie baby! How you ended up with a man that can’t build a basic fire is beyond me. But don’t worry. I’m schooling him.”
Muscles ripple when he removes his shirt, and I shake my head as I watch. “Jeannie is a lucky girl.”
One of his brothers says, “She sure is. She just kicked him to the curb last week.”
I glance at Ekton. “I’m so sorry.”
He waves a hand at me and hoists another log out of the fire pit. “Don’t be. She found her true mate.” Wood slams, and he winks at me. “She was just training me for mine.”
I turn my gaze to Parker. He unclenches his fists as he gives me a sheepish smile. I think he’s jealous of the friendship I have with Ekton, but he’s doing a good job of controlling it.
Pride surges in me as I think of his success with the all-girl football team. He’s becoming the kind of man I can imagine as a father. I put my hand on my stomach and blow him a kiss before turning back to go inside.
When I get there, my mom is coming in the door with her arms full. I race over to help. “I thought I told you to bring one fancy cocktail.” I link my arm through the handle of a canvas sack and am surprised by how heavy it is.
“I know. But I couldn’t decide. At first I got strawberries for daiquiris, and then the pineapple looked good, so I thought maybe a rum punch.” Her bags clunk on the counter, and I peek inside the one I’m holding before adding mine. There’s a variety of fruit juices in it.
Mom begins to remove items from her bag. “Look at this watermelon. How could I resist it?”
“Fine. But something tells me this is just a warning of what kind of grandmother you’re going to be. I expect my children will be showered with too many gifts.”
“Don’t you know it. But don’t call me a grandmother. That makes me sound so old, and I’ve got a few months left.”
I chuckle. My mom had me when she was seventeen, and thirty-six is hardly old. “Do you realize some women are just starting to have babies at your age?”
She glances over at me with wide eyes. “Perish the thought. You were all I ever needed.”
I hand her a sharp knife to slice the fruit, and the cutting board claps on the counter when I set it down. “I’m just saying you’re still a catch and have plenty of years left for love.”
“Who says I haven’t started looking?”
She pulls her shirt out and steps close to me as she says, “Look at this sexy bra I bought.”
It’s pink with black lace trim. “Nice.”
She turns around and arches her back to stick her butt out. “And did you see my ass in these jeans? I’m one hot number.” The screen door swishes open just as she slaps her bottom and adds, “Don’t you just want to smack it?”
I glance up as Parker and Paul approach us. The look on their faces is priceless, and I cover my mouth as I giggle.
My mom turns around to them and lifts her hand in a small wave. “Hi.”
Parker says, “Paul Ryan, this is Caroline Quinn, my future mother-in-law.”
Paul takes her hand and kisses it. She says, “You sure you want to do that? Have you seen where that’s been?”
My alpha breaks into a huge grin. “That’s precisely why I wanted to. You do have a fine backside.”
&nb
sp; I wink at Parker. “I told you they were right for each other.”
Mom says, “Goodness.” She makes a show of scanning him with her eyes. “And you’re the alpha. Come cut fruit with me, and I’ll tell you what I do for a living.”
My mate grabs my hand. “I think we should leave them alone.”
We make our way outside, where people are milling around, and I greet members of the Winter Valley Pack. I’m happy to see Katie and Devon, and we spend time chatting. They’ve been wonderful in helping me assimilate into my new family.
The barbecue goes well, and by the time it’s nightfall and the fire’s roaring, I steal away for a moment alone. I’m down on the dock when Parker finds me. He says, “Word is out that you throw a great party.”
He wraps his arms around me, and I gaze up at him. “It’s easy to do when you’re working with crazy werewolves. I think they’d be happy anywhere there was food and alcohol.”
I lean my head against his chest and inhale the scent that wraps me in a cocoon of love. I try to imagine what my life was like before Parker. But it’s a distant memory that’s faded compared to what I have now. “You make me the happiest woman alive.”
Parker grips my arms, and I lift my face up to him as he says, “You’ve done the same for me.” He lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me tenderly. His hands move down to cup my bottom, and I meld my body to his. He murmurs in my neck, “I love you more than I thought possible, Trixie.”
Thick hair slips through my fingers as I hold the back of his head. “I love you just as much.”
My mother’s laughter carries over to us, and I glance toward the water in her direction to discover she’s in a canoe with Paul. I whisper. “Look at that.”
Parker nuzzles my neck and says, “I think she might help heal his broken heart. Every man deserves a good woman in his life.”
I pull away to gaze into the green eyes that I plan to see when I’m old. I realize Parker has melted through my icy facade to warm me up in every way. “And every woman deserves a good man.” This time when we kiss, I imagine we’re giving each other the pieces that were missing to make us whole.
* * *
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V. Vaughn also has a complete bear shifter serial - Called by the Bear available in Kindle Unlimited. Try Part 1. Or get the complete set of nine parts.
Tempted by the Bear is the continuation of Called by the Bear and the first installment is coming August 27.
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From V. Vaughn
Winter Valley Wolves
Brindle
Bosun
Berch
Chosen 8/7
Ergan 10/9
Esher 10/25
Ekton 11/12
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Emma Storm
Grey Wolves Rising
Temptation 6/8
Obsession 6/23
Salvation 7/14
Elsa Jade
Wolves of Angels Rest
Hero 6/12
Joker 6/30
Rogue 7/21
Kenzie Cox
Wolves of the Rising Sun
Jace 6/15
Aiden 7/2
Luc 7/23
Ronin Winters
Blue Collar Wolves
Iron 6/17
Brick House 7/7
Steel 7/28
Eliza Gayle
Devils Point Wolves
Wild 6/19
Wicked 7/9
Wanted 7/30
About the Author
V. Vaughn lives in New Hampshire and spends winter weekends in the woods of Maine. She might have seen a wolf, or two….
V. Vaughn also writes Sport Romance as Violet Vaughn. You can read more about her Boys of Winter series here.
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