Reluctant Heat

by Jaden Sinclair

  “Gift?” Lindsey frowned, confused.

  “Mating gift,” Skyler smiled. “Think you would call it a wedding present.”

  Without thinking, Lindsey reached up and touched her shoulder.

  “It’s what families do,” Darian added quickly. “After a son or daughter mate the family gives the couple a present. Mom sent me my grandmother’s quilt,” she finished with a smile at Skyler.

  In that moment Lindsey feared she might start crying again. She pushed away from the table fast and rushed from the room. Rushing out the front door, the afternoon sun blinded her. She stood on the porch, gulping air, her eyes filling with tears.

  “Lindsey?” Darian’s soft voice almost made those tears fall. Instead, Lindsey looked up at the sky, sniffed, and fought them back.

  “Like a stupid girl I had this fantasy of one of your kind coming and sweeping me off my feet,” she said in a trembling voice. She glanced over her shoulder at Darian. “Someone like Dominic. It was this little fairy tale in my own mind, because real life sucked for me. But as the years went by it started to hit me that one of those guys wouldn’t want me anymore than the others, so I gave the dream up. Then you got mated and I started to have that hope once more, but I never dreamed it would happen like this,” she finished in a hushed tone.

  Darian came up behind her, wrapping her arms around Lindsey’s shoulders. “It’s going to be alright. I promise you.”

  Those damn tears fell then. “He shouldn’t have to be stuck with me.” Her voice shook as she talked, unable to hold back her tears. “He also wanted to be with one of your own kind, not a fat human.”

  “Yeah, and Mother Nature sometimes has her own way of things,” Darian said. “If you weren’t meant for my brother then that mark wouldn’t be on your shoulder now. They don’t do that.” Darian pulled back and turned Lindsey around so that she faced her. Gently Darian wiped the fallen tears away. “He cares for you. That is as plain as the freckles on your nose.”

  Lindsey couldn’t help but smile at that statement. “But this feels so wrong.”

  “Because it was rushed. I felt the same way with Nick. But look at things on the other side of the table here. You know Fox. You’ve known him since you were little, since the day you became my best friend. He isn’t a stranger that you have to get to know.”

  “Right now he feels like a stranger.” Lindsey lowered her head, only to have Darian bring it back up with a finger under her chin.

  “That’s the animal waking up. They all have it, and we are what control it. Think of yourself as his handler. You have the leash, baby, now keep him in line.”

  That had Lindsey chuckling.

  “How about we go down to the docks and see how the kitchen is coming along,” Darian said. “I’ve also been told all of your things from the house are there, so you might want to get started with the unpacking.”

  “Unpacking?” Lindsey frowned again.

  “Honey, where else do you think you’re going to be living?”

  That thought had Lindsey pulling back again. “I didn’t think about that. Guess I thought I’d be staying here or something.”

  Darian shook her head, “Nope. He has his own place and has been sleeping there you know. Mom said he got the bedroom all done first so he could move right in. Told mom she needed one less person in the house, but then without a kitchen he kept coming over for food.” Darian rolled her eyes and Lindsey laughed. “I like it when you laugh. My buddy is coming back. Let me go tell Mom we’re going. Think she wanted to take Lyssa on a little road trip.”

  “Where?”

  “Dad called Daxis and let him know some of what Lyssa has been up to. He wants to see that she’s okay, so Mom is having a diner meeting with him. They’re meeting halfway. He lives about eight hours away.”

  Lindsey stayed on the porch until Darian came back. Darian wrapped her arm through Lindsey’s and together they walked down to the docks. Once they arrived they saw Adrian and Dominic were talking to people who’d come to have their boats taken from the water. Two were paying Dominic and another was arguing with Adrian. When Dominic spotted them he waved with a smile, then returned his attention to the men who were talking to him. Darian told Lindsey that in the time she’d been with Dominic she never saw him so relaxed as right now, so Lindsey mentioned maybe they could come every summer.

  Laswell marina and docks were, without a doubt, an impressive piece of real state. The marina itself had not only a very large metal building that could house pretty much every boat in town, it also had another building for mechanic work, which Alex ran. A shop sold snacks, some camping equipment, and other sailing and swimming stuff, along with gas for the boats. The docks itself ran long, left and right, and then out to the water.

  Many boats were still in the water, and people were climbing into them, and getting skis ready for a day out. After all, it was summer.

  At the very end of the moving docks, tied up was Fox’s house boat. The last time Lindsey really saw the thing it was a big mess. Clearly, he had done major work to it. The cracked paint on the outside of the boat was gone, replaced by a perfect paint job, the windows had been repaired, and the rotted wood decking had been fixed as well. The outside had new everything, and the new paint a light shade of gray.

  “He hasn’t put a name on it yet I see,” Darian said.

  Lindsey stood back, staring at the boat, trying to take it in that this would be her new home. Darian had already gone on board and started looking over the improvements. The frame job around the back for a built in seating still needed to be finished. The sliding glass doors that opened to take you inside had been replaced and were now open, new curtains it seemed swayed to the breeze coming from the water.

  “You coming?” Darian called out.

  Lindsey snapped out of her daze, nodded and went on board.

  “When are the counter tops coming in?” Alex’s voice could be heard from outside.

  Lindsey followed it and found herself standing in the main room of the boat, a room that one day would serve as the front room, like in a house. Inside that room was all of her old furniture from her house.

  “Later today,” Fox answered from behind one of the counters he was installing. “They assured me, since I paid extra for it to happen sooner than later.”

  “Guest bathroom also?” Alex asked.

  “Think so,” Fox answered. “This is my main goal at the moment. Shit, hand me a shim please.”

  “Hey!” Alex spotted them and smiled.

  “Damn it!” Fox hit something. Lindsey guessed his head. Quickly he came out from his little hiding spot and she noticed right off how he seemed to light up when his eyes landed on her. “Sorry. Welcome to our little home.” He smiled big and spread his arms wide. “What you think?”

  “It needs more work,” Darian said.

  “Wasn’t asking you,” Fox stated.

  Lindsey couldn’t help but smile at the two of them. It made her feel for a split second, as it had in the old days. “Furniture doesn’t match.”

  Fox’s face dropped a bit. “You don’t want to keep it?”

  Lindsey shrugged. “Dunno. Might not go with the fanciness of the place.”

  “She’s got a point,” Alex said.

  Fox replied to him by planting his elbow in Alex’s stomach. “Come on, let me show you what’s been done.”

  He held his hand out to her, and not thinking about it, Lindsey took it. Of course she saw what work was done with the kitchen. Upper cabinets were already in place and they were getting the bar leveled. He took her towards the back, stopping to show her the new guest bathroom. Last time she saw it the room was nothing more than a box. Now it had a shower, toilet, and sink, without countertop yet. Even the new tile floor was in place.

  The other two rooms were done—extra bedrooms—but were still bare of any furniture. They had new floors and walls but that was it. One of those rooms also had its own bathroom, and Fox told her he planned on keeping it as
bedroom, but the other he wanted to use as a computer room or office.

  Way in the back was the master bedroom. It was so large it took up the whole back end of the boat. Fox stood to the side, letting her enter and examine everything he’d done.

  A large, king size or maybe a California king size bed was bolted down on the left of the room. The bed looked like it had been slept in a few nights ago. Fox went over to it quickly and flipped covers over in a bad attempt to make it. She grinned.

  New sliding doors were in the room. She walked up to them, opened the doors, and let the breeze touch her from outside. The rest of the room lost to her in the moment.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she answered.

  He came up behind her, gently placed his hands on her shoulders, chin on top of her head. “We can do this.” He gave her shoulders a squeeze. “I’m just as scared as you are.”

  “Are you?”

  Fox turned her around so they were eye to eye, in a way. Lindsey still had to look up at him and him down to her. “Yeah, I am. I’m afraid of doing the wrong thing. Of hurting you. Of not protecting you enough.” His hand came up and touched the side of her face that was bruised. “I don’t want you to get hurt again.”

  “So what happens now?”

  “We figure this all out together. And I mean together.” One eyebrow went up. “This boat is your home as much as its mine. You make it feel like your home. Do what you want, change what you want.”

  She sighed and moved away from him, shaking her head. “This doesn’t feel right, Fox.” Once she had enough distance she stopped and faced him again. “I feel like some line has been crossed here. Like a brother sister thing going so wrong.”

  Fox moved closer and she didn’t move away. “We’re not brother and sister.”

  “But you’ve always treated me that way.”

  He closed the distance, both hands going up to her face, cupping her gently. “I treated you like my sister’s best friend. Now I treat you as my mate.” His face lowered, her heart began to pound.

  Lips touched lips. Gently, tender, a kiss that could curl the toes and bring tears to one’s eyes. He didn’t press or demand, just touched her lips with his own, pulling back slowly.

  “Unpack you stuff. It’s all in bags in the closet and once I finish with the kitchen we can stock up the place. Okay?”

  Lindsey didn’t even realize she had closed her eyes until she struggled to get them back up. With a nod to him, he kissed her once more then left her alone in the bedroom.

  “How about I give you a hand?” Darian came into the room with another bag in hand. “This was in the living room, but I think it belongs in the bathroom.”

  Lindsey took a deep breath, turned, and opened one of the doors hoping it might be a closet. It was, and her bags along with her only two suitcases were on the floor waiting for her.

  “Why not?” she mumbled to herself, going inside and opening the closet.. If this was to be her new home, might as well make it her own, as much as she could.

  Chapter Nine

  Ben hunched over on his hands and knees, trying to breathe through the pain of the most intense beating of his life. Everything, everywhere on his body hurt like hell, but he didn’t pass out. He refused to. To do so would mean he was weak, and he wasn’t.

  He could see his father’s shoes getting close, but Ben couldn’t move or even raise his head to look up at the man. Another set of feet joined them—one of the others of the new order he just discovered. He knew Cabinet for the old Gathering. Ben never suspected that his father would be part of it. Hell, for that matter he never in his wildest dreams thought the rumors he heard about another Cabinet were real!

  The rules were very simple and made very clear. First, the Cabinet and all its members were to always remain a secret. Giving up any name for any reason would result in a harsh punishment decided by the Cabinet itself. Second, he had to play the game with the other Cabinet. Had to pretend that their rules still controlled his life. It meant, stay out of trouble when it came to the others. Don’t break their rules publicly.

  Two simple rules that Ben knew he could handle without any problem, unlike trying to get back up on his feet right this second. His father grabbed hold of his arms, helping him to stand so he might face one of the males that were on the Cabinet he now served. Robert Vanderburg.

  “Welcome to our family.” The old man smiled, patting Ben on the cheek. Robert Vanderburg nodded to Ben’s father before turning and walking away.

  “Good job,” Thomas said. “I’m impressed and have to say proud.”

  Ben smiled, but that smile didn’t last. His father’s fist landed against his jaw, cracking it on the spot. Ben fell back down on the ground, holding his jaw, trying to not cry out in pain over the break.

  “Come at me again like a rabbited animal and I’ll put you down like one. Understood?” Thomas smiled. Ben nodded. “Good. Now let’s get you fixed up and healed. You’ve got work to do.”

  * * * *

  “I don’t think I’ve ever bought this much food before.” Lindsey pushed the cart in the store while Darian tossed things in. “Are you sure we need this much?”

  “Have you seen how much the males eat?” Darian tossed back at her. “I swear you can never fill them up at times.”

  “Yeah, but Darian, I don’t really know how to cook half of the stuff you’re putting in this cart.”

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ve got all summer to improve your cooking, and you know my mother is going to want to help out a ton.”

  “She’s got her hands full with your sister, remember.”

  “True, but once Daxis finishes his claim and takes her away, you’re going to be all mom has as a daughter.” Darian stopped walking and winked at Lindsey. “I’m working on getting Dominic to come back either every summer or every other. He won’t admit it, but he’s enjoying himself big time.”

  “Well, maybe I, I mean, we can come your way once.” She shook her head. “It’s strange thinking of someone else besides just me.”

  “It’s going to take some time.”

  “Is the make-up still holding up?” Lindsey looked around the store feeling eyes upon her. “I have this strange feeling I’m being watched.”

  “The bruises are hidden well. Lyssa knows her make up.”

  “I’ve noticed that. She’s hiding her mark.”

  “Yeah, I swear Daxis doesn’t have a clue about what he’s getting himself into,” Darian giggled.

  “You were the same why, weren’t you?”

  “Yes and no.” Darian shrugged. “I didn’t like the idea of being taken from my family like I was. I wish that I had the time to get to know Nick better, like Lyssa does. But she refuses to see the gift she has in front of her. If she keeps holding him, then once she comes of age he’s going to just take her and then she’ll have to deal with what I had to.”

  Heading for the checkout counter, Lindsey thought about a few other things that had been going around in her head after they left the boat. One being, what might happen tonight, when it was just her and Fox alone on that boat. What would he do then?

  “Can I ask you something?” Lindsey asked.

  “You can ask me anything, you know that.” Darian smiled at her while unloading the cart.

  “It’s a bit personal.” Lindsey felt heat come to her cheeks.

  Darian stopped and their eyes locked for a moment. “Okay, let’s get this done first.”

  Lindsey nodded and helped unload. She paid the large bill with the card that Fox gave her before they left, almost chocking on it. Never had she paid so much for food before, yet she couldn’t recall having that kind of money to stock up either.

  They loaded the back of the truck with bags, got in, and instead of Darian heading back towards the marina she drove the opposite direction.

  “You want to ask me about the sex, right?” Darian asked.

  Lindsey suddenly felt uncomfortable with the
idea of asking her best friend this kind of question. Sure, it’s something one should be able to ask her best friend, but on the flip side of the coin, her best friend was a wolf.

  “From what I’ve been told, since my experience is limited, I’m told it’s just like humans,” Darian said.

  Lindsey didn’t look at her but out the window. She didn’t know what to say. After asking that question it felt strange to talk about it now. Having any kind of sex talk with your best friend about her brother seemed strange.

  “Lindsey, it’s okay,” Darian said.

  “None of this is okay,” Lindsey mumbled.

  “Look, I know my brother. He’s not going to rush you into anything. What Ben Fallen did was enough to traumatize anyone and Fox understands that. Take things one step at a time and when the sex comes into the picture it will happen. Besides, you’re hurt and that sort of tames the males also.”

  “Where we going?” Lindsey asked.

  “Nick wants me to pick a few things up for you also.” Lindsey looked at her then, and Darian was smiling big. She shrugged. “He likes you.”

  “You’ve got a good man.”

  “So do you. And know we can say without a doubt we’re sisters.”

  Darian pulled into the parking lot of the biggest furniture store in town. If Lindsey’s memory served her right, it also happened to be the most expensive one.

  Darian got out and Lindsey was a bit more hesitant in opening the door. Only once had she walked in and the way people treated her had her promising to never come back again. They were rude, just because she didn’t have the money for one of the fake plants, let alone a couch or chair.

  “Come on!” Darian called out.

  “I don’t think this is the kind of place I should be shopping at.”

  “That was before.” Darian walked up to her and linked her arm through Lindsey’s. “Now your position in life has improved. We both have men that have money and are demanding we spend it today.”

  “Your brother didn’t say that,” Lindsey chuckled.

  “No, but mine did.” Darian’s eyes sparkled. “And if I don’t come back with a large bill I’m going to be in trouble. He gave me strict orders to get you everything for a very comfortable living room, and I am going to do what I’m told. For once anyway.”