by Sophie Stern
“Yeah,” he said gruffly. “All squared away.” Heather handed him Ava’s bag and they stepped out of the Hourly Care room together. She flicked off the lights and locked the door to the room, then headed out of the CDC with the pair.
When they reached the parking lot, Heather turned to go to her car, but felt a soft touch on her shoulder. She turned. Sarge was looking at her.
“Is there something else?” She asked quietly.
“I just wanted to thank you again,” he said. “For staying late. And I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” she said slowly, but couldn’t shake the feeling of excitement she felt at his touch. Seriously? Why was she getting so worked up over a random man touching her at work? It wasn’t like this was her first day being around hot guys. As a CDC employee, she met hot airmen every day. Today was no exception, except that it was.
There was something about him that made her tingly and excited.
She hated to even think it because it might be disappointing later, but was there a chance – any chance – that Jake could be her mate?
2.
Jake unlocked the door to the townhouse he lived in on base. The house was nice enough: quiet, cozy, and large. The only problem, Jake realized as he stepped inside, was that it was too large. He had been assigned a family-sized house, but he didn’t have a family-sized family to fill it. He and Ava took up only two rooms in the large 4-bedroom.
It didn’t seem right.
He had felt a connection when he touched Heather at the CDC. Judging by the shocked expression on her face, she felt it, too. Jake knew there was only one reason for Heather’s expression: she was his mate. They both felt it. They both knew it.
Only now he had to convince her that it was okay.
Heather was gorgeous: curvy, sweet, and soft. Her long blonde hair fell in waves over her shoulders and he would do anything to get to run his hands through it while whispering sweet nothings into her ear.
But unlike most bear shifters, Jake had a child before he had a mate. Would Heather be willing to accept Ava as her own, despite their mutual attraction? Despite the fact that the stars had aligned to bring them together? Or would it be too hard for her?
His thoughts were on Heather throughout dinner and when he tucked Ava into bed with her favorite stuffed zebra, he kissed her softly, wondering if Heather would ever be the one tucking his sweet girl in.
“Daddy?” Asked Ava.
“Yeah, sweetie?”
“I missed you today.”
“I missed you, too, pumpkin.” He rubbed her back until she fell asleep, wishing for the millionth time that some things could be different. He hated leaving Ava at daycare with people who didn’t know her or how to care for her. Most bears didn’t start shifting until they were teenagers, so he didn’t have to worry about her accidentally shifting at the CDC.
What he did have to worry about was sweet Heather. He had met her only briefly when he dropped Ava off in the morning, but he was instantly drawn to her. She carried herself with grace. She wasn’t a big ol’ bumbly bear, and there was no doubt in his mind that she was, in fact, another polar bear.
Not all shifters were great at sensing the animals of others, but Jake was a Staff Sergeant and had been in charge of dozens of special shifter operations.
He knew his shifters and he knew Heather was his.
He just had to convince her of what he already knew.
Jake left Ava’s door open and flipped on the bathroom light so she wouldn’t get scared, then quietly padded down the hallway to his own room. He went inside and closed the door, then headed to the en-suite bathroom to shower before bed.
The water poured on him and he thought of Heather: how she smelled, how soft her skin was, how sweet her voice was.
When had he ever felt this way before?
When had he ever met someone who even made him feel half this deeply?
He had loved Ava’s mother, but they both knew they weren’t mates. Not all pairs were. Many bears lived years alone without a mate and finally gave up, deciding it was better to be with a bear that wasn’t their true mate than to keep looking.
Jake had been one of those bears.
He had loved Christina very deeply and she had given him the greatest gift imaginable: Ava. Though she had died in childbirth, he had enjoyed many wonderful years with her before she passed. Until today, Jake had wondered if he would ever find a mother who could love Ava the way Christina would have.
When he saw Heather with Ava, he had his answer.
He knew she felt the spark when he had touched her, but he needed to convince her that he was safe, that he was good for her. He needed to convince her that this thing between them could work. He needed to show her that he was hers.
Only hers.
Forever.
He would take her out and woo her, but then he would return home with her and ravage her the way he truly wanted to. He would plunge deep inside of her over and over again until she cried out his name, until any memories of former lovers had disappeared forever.
He began to rub himself as he thought of how he would take her. He wouldn’t be gentle. There would be plenty of time for that later, once they had been promised as life mates. No, the first time he would be rough and fierce. He would mark her. He would cover her skin with kisses and soft bites and he would take her from behind.
Jake would show Heather what kind of man he was.
He would show her how he really felt about her.
He would show her that he needed her.
He rubbed himself faster and faster, caught up in thinking about how sweet her soft pussy would feel clenching around him. He needed her now, needed her more than anything he’d ever needed before.
When he finally came, he moaned her name and wished she was there.
He needed her there.
3.
It had been four days since Jake Adams was late picking up Ava.
He had been prompt every other day. While most parents were limited to 25 hours of Hourly Care per week, the daycare made an exception for single parents. Until he could find regular care for Ava, Stephanie had determined that it was fine for Jake to bring Ava to Hourly.
And he had shown up at 5:00 every single day.
Until today.
“I’m heading out,” Judith said, grabbing her jacket. It felt like a repeat of Monday already.
“Hot date?” Heather asked, leaning against the partition. She was in the toddler section today. Judith had asked to switch it up and had taken over the infant section around lunchtime. Heather didn’t mind. She loved the babies, but playing with toddlers and preschoolers was much more interesting.
“Bruce again,” she squealed.
“What are you guys doing tonight?” Heather was embarrassed she asked, but she had to. After Judith’s other stories, she knew Bruce had something insane up his sleeve. Each night that week, he and Judith had done something absolutely crazy. They had role-played, they had fucked in a parking lot, and they had even done a dirty photo shoot. What else could they possibly have to try?
Judith’s eyes twinkled and she came over and whispered in Heather’s ear.
“We’re going to have a threeway with his friend, Kayla.” Heather’s eyes popped open. That was a little too adventurous for her tastes, but she had to admit it sounded sexy. She doubted she would ever be brave enough to try such a thing.
Instead of making Judith’s adventure about her own insecurities, Heather asked the first question she thought of.
“What are you going to wear?”
Judith immediately burst out laughing, which made Heather relax.
“Don’t worry, doll,” Judith kissed her cheek. “I’ll give you all the details on Monday.” She paused at the door and looked back over her shoulder. “All the details.”
Judith disappeared and then it was just Ava and Heather once again.
“So,” Heather picked up a doll-sized dress and handed it to Ava. “What are you
and your daddy going to do this weekend?”
She had gotten used to Ava’s quiet spells. While Ava could talk, she didn’t always want to. Sometimes she preferred for things to be quiet. Sometimes the loudness of the Hourly Care classroom overwhelmed her.
Heather never minded. She liked the quiet, too, and she liked having these silent moments with Ava, so she was surprised when Ava burst out, “We’re going to the zoo!”
“The zoo?” Heather asked. “That sounds lovely, Ava.”
“Yes! There are zebras!” Ava dropped her doll and stood up. Then she started jumping and singing about zebras and lions and bears.
When she go to the part about bears, she suddenly got quiet and sat back down.
“What’s wrong?” Heather asked.
Ava looked her wearily.
“I’m not supposed to talk about it,” she admitted. Heather realized immediately what was bothering the little girl.
“Is this about your daddy?” Heather asked softly.
Ava nodded, but looked away.
“Is this because he’s a bear?”
Ava turned back. Her eyes had gone as round as saucers.
“How…how did you know about that?” Ava asked. She sounded suspicious, but she smelled like fear. She was afraid of anyone finding out about her and her father, Heather knew. She knew exactly how Ava felt because she, too, had worried that her secret would come out.
Heather made a quick decision.
“I’m just like him, honey,” Heather said slowly. It had been a long time since she talked about her status as a shifter. Oh, she still shifted regularly and hunted in her bear form, but she didn’t live in a shifter community, so she rarely tried to tell people.
The only person who knew was her doctor, and only then because he found out during her physical for work. He had been surprised, but not upset, and while he processed her paperwork to clear her to work at the CDC, he made sure she had the number of a civilian doctor who cared for werecreatures.
“You are?” Ava’s eyes widened and she looked surprised. A little too surprised, Heather thought.
“Ava, have you ever been around other shifters?” She lowered her voice, but everyone else had gone home. It was just the two of them. Stephanie was probably still at the front desk, but she’d be busy playing Apocalypse Shelter or Evil Oranges on her phone.
Ava shook her head.
“You’ve never been around other shifters?” Heather frowned. “Not even when you were little?” It wasn’t unheard of for adult shifters to live in human communities, but kids? Kids needed the reassurance that came from being around other shifters. They needed to know their lives were normal. They needed to know they were cared for and loved.
“My mom died when I was born,” Ava whispered. Heather knew it was uncommon for shifters to die during childbirth, but if there were complications and a shifter-friendly doctor or healer wasn’t around, it was possible. She was curious about the situation surrounding Ava’s birth, but didn’t pry. Chances were that Ava didn’t know much about where she came from and her dad was always working, it seemed, so she had probably really only been around human daycare employees.
Heather picked up Ava and plopped the young cub on her lap.
“Listen up, you,” she said, lifting Ava’s chin with her finger. “You ever get scared or worried, you just come talk to me, okay?”
Ava cuddled against Heather’s bosom without another word and closed her eyes. How was it possible that she felt so perfect there? It should be possible, yet it was, and Heather found herself wishing that she could be the one who went home each night to Jake and Ava.
“You look good together, you know,” a gruff voice said from the doorway, and Heather whirled around. Jake was in his ABUs and she had to bite her freaking lip to keep from growling at how fine he looked.
She turned back to Ava and lifted her up off her lap. Ava ran over to Jake and as soon as he opened the door to the partition, she rushed into his arms.
Jake lifted the little girl up on to his hips and held her close, all the while locking eyes with Heather. She knew exactly what he was thinking because she was thinking it, too. Only, unlike him, she wasn’t so sure that they were mates.
That was a fairytale.
Oh, Heather had grown up around shifters and had heard all the stories. When you meet your one true mate, you’ll be able to smell them, or something like that.
Nonsense.
She’d been with plenty of guys and had never even come close to finding a “mate.” She’d never come close to finding someone who made her heart beat so fast she thought she might choke.
Until Jake.
“Staff Sergeant,” she said quietly, handing over Ava’s bag.
“You know,” Jake said with a smile. “Most of my civilian counterparts just call me Jake. ‘Mr. Adams,’ if they want to be formal.”
Heather growled quietly, but he chuckled. She knew exactly what he was doing. Trying to put her at ease, was he? Trying to make her want him even more?
Well, whatever he was doing, it was working, and she shouldn’t be so excited to see him.
It wasn’t appropriate. He was one of the daycare dads, for crying out loud!
Ava leaned over and whispered something to her dad, and he smiled, then turned back to Heather.
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Nothing,” she said, looking surprised.
“Would you like to come to the zoo with us?” Jake asked. His eyes held a challenge and Heather inwardly groaned. Of course he was going to ask her out. She should have known. Now if she turned him down, she wouldn’t just be rejecting him. She’d be rejecting Ava, too. Awesome. Just the position she didn’t want to be in. Ava looked so hopeful that Heather couldn’t refuse.
Much as she didn’t trust herself around Jake, maybe this would be a good time to get to know him on very, very neutral ground.
“What time?” She asked, and Ava erupted into sweet giggles.
Jake just smiled.
4.
Part of Jake was surprised she’d said yes. He shouldn’t have been, but there had been a brief moment of hesitation where he thought for sure Heather would politely decline his invitation. She was holding back. All week he’d been careful to show up on time, pick up Ava when there were other people around, divide his time between the employees at the CDC, but tonight he just couldn’t.
Tonight he needed to see her, to touch her, to be alone with her. Tonight he needed to walk her out to her car and hug her goodbye and feel her body pressed against him.
As they left the daycare center, he carried Ava and followed Heather to her tiny sedan. She turned to him when they arrived.
“This is me,” she said awkwardly. He knew what she was thinking. He could sense her anxiety and he wondered why she felt that way. Didn’t she know she was lovely? Didn’t she know she was the most gorgeous bear he’d ever seen? He wanted to grab her and kiss her, to prove to her that she was lovely, but he couldn’t.
Not yet.
Ava was there, for one, but Jake had a feeling that Heather had been hurt before. He had a feeling there was something in her past that made her hesitant when it came to love.
He intended to find out exactly what.
He set Ava down and she ran and hugged Heather goodnight.
“See you tomorrow, pumpkin,” Heather kissed Ava’s head gently. She stood up and they both looked at Jake.
“My turn,” he said, and strode over to her. He wrapped Heather in his arms and held her tightly. A moment too long, perhaps, but he didn’t care. Heather felt so right in his arms. She felt great. Perfect. She was everything he wanted and more.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he murmured.
“Yes,” Heather breathed out, and the scent of her arousal filled his nostrils. He groaned when he smelled her, not wanting to leave, not wanting to walk away, but he had to.
“Tomorrow can’t come soon enough,” he said, then turned and went to his car. Ava f
ollowed close behind.
When they got home, they ordered pizza and waited for Jake’s best friend, Ryan, to arrive. He came over for dinner every Friday night.
Ryan was one of the few people on base who knew Jake was a wereshifter. Ryan knew because he was a polar bear, too. They’d met years before and had been lucky enough to be stationed at a few of the same bases. Ryan was single and lived off base in a small apartment, but came onto Forrest AFB frequently to have dinner with Ava and Jake.
“Uncle Ryan!” Ava screeched when Ryan knocked on the door.
“Hey, tiger,” Ryan said and swopped the little girl up.
“I’m not a tiger!” Ava protested. “I’m a bear!” She let out a little growl and laughed as Ryan tickled her before letting her down.
“What’s for dinner?” He turned to Jake. “I’m starving.”
“Same as always,” Jake handed his friend a beer and they plopped down on the couch to wait for the pizza to arrive. Ava grabbed some dolls and wooden blocks and began building little towers and having her dolls knock them down.
“So,” Ryan said, taking a long sip of his drink. “Who’s the girl?”
“Hmm?” Jake asked nonchalantly, but he knew his friend wasn’t buying it.
“Get real,” Ryan said. “You’ve been talking about ‘going to the zoo’ all week and how you were going to ‘invite your friend.’ You wanna tell me you were all worked up over a bro?”
“You got me,” Jake said. He lowered his voice so Ava couldn’t hear, and murmured, “I think I found my mate.”
“No kidding?” Ryan hopped up as the doorbell rang, but grinned at his friend. “Are you for serious?”
Jake nodded.
Ryan opened the door and collected the pizzas, then came back. He dropped the stack of extra-large pepperonis on the coffee table and sat back down.
“How could you tell?”
