Happy Howlidays: Shifters in Love Romance Collection (Shifter in Love Book 1)

by V. Vaughn

  “It’s not much,” Jill replied with a shrug.

  “It’s home.”

  15

  Chapter 15 - Andru

  “Why are you so antsy?” Jill asked him.

  “I’ve never really done this whole meeting the parents thing, Jill.”

  “They’ll love you. Besides, you won a lot of brownie points by having the store remodeled and restocked.”

  “I didn’t do it for brownie points.”

  “I know you didn’t,” she replied, leaning up to place a small kiss on his lips.

  Andru quickly deepened the kiss, needing to feel their connection to help his nerves. He couldn’t remember a time in his life when he had ever been so nervous. Part of what he had told Jill was true. He was nervous about spending Christmas Eve with her parents, but mostly he was nervous about asking her father for her hand in marriage. The ring was burning a hole in his pocket. Marriage wasn’t necessarily essential to him as a shifter, but he knew it was customary for humans, and more understandable to them than explaining the mate bond.

  “Come on, I want to hurry. All the good Christmas trees will probably be gone from the farm, but I still want to grab one before we head over to Mom and Dad’s.”

  “Okay,” he agreed, grabbing his coat and shrugging it on.

  They drove over to the small Christmas tree farm first. It was a first for Andru as well, and he found he was as excited as what he imagined a kid would feel doing the same thing. Jill was equally excited, and the smile on her face was enough to make Andru want to buy her the whole damn farm.

  “Do you want a big one or a small one for your first tree?” Jill asked him.

  “I want whatever one you want,” he replied, even though he was already eyeballing a tree he felt would look perfect in her front window; their front window.

  Jill’s eyes followed his and then lit up with excitement.

  “Wow, is that the one you’re looking at?” she asked, pointing to it.

  “Jill, it’s whichever one you want,” he said again.

  “I love that one, if you do as well?”

  “You don’t want to look around?”

  “One thing you may not realize yet about me is that I go for efficiency. Usually whenever I’m shopping I end up buying the first of whatever it is I’m shopping for. The older I get, I figure why waste my time? So, if I see something instantly I love, I buy it.”

  “I like your style, mate,” he purred.

  “Now, how handy are you with a saw?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

  “Baby, if there’s one thing you should realize about me, is that I’m real good with my hands.”

  A blush crept across her face, just the way he liked it. Just as he started to pull her toward him, someone cleared their throat behind them. A low rumble started in his chest, but Jill playfully smacked him to keep him from growling and then peeked around him to see whom it was.

  “Hello, Mr. Carr,” she said happily.

  “Jill, I was wondering when I’d see you this year.”

  “I’m a little late, but I was waiting for my, er…”

  “Hello, I’m Andru Varcelli, Jill’s boyfriend,” Andru said, helping her out even though he desperately wanted to say mate.

  “Mr. Varcelli, it’s nice to meet you. It’s also good to see Jill with that big smile on her face,” he said, winking in Jill’s direction.

  Andru nodded, enjoying the old man’s obvious affection for his mate. He was coming to find that there weren’t too many people in the small suburban town that didn’t care for Jill. She had that type of spirit that just drew people to her.

  “So, did you find the one you want?” Mr. Carr asked as he held up a small handsaw.

  Andru plucked it from his hand and headed over to the tree he and Jill had agreed on. He got down on his knees and looked over how he would go about getting the tree cut. Manual labor had never really been his scene, but he wasn’t about to let his mate down and not cut the damn tree down. He worked on it for a bit and it felt like he had sawed for an hour, but the cut was barely visible.

  He stood up and held his finger up to Jill for her to give him a minute. He walked behind a cluster of trees and quickly undressed and then shifted. In his dragon form he was larger than the trees around him and he heard Mr. Carr gasp a bit. Andru’s amber eyes would have given him away as a shifter, but he was sure Mr. Carr hadn’t expected him to shift into a dragon. Dragon shifters were rare.

  He moved as carefully as he could around the trees and leaned his slender neck down under their tree and gripped it in his strong jaw and jerked it up out of the ground with ease. After laying it down on the ground gently, he turned to go back and shift again, but Mr. Carr held his hand up.

  “Actually, son, could I get a favor?”

  Andru dipped his head.

  “Would you mind pulling up these other trees right here? I’ve been sawing them down most of the day. I’m fixing to send them over to the women and children’s shelter so they can have trees up, but I don’t think I can make it through these last five.”

  Andru followed him over and was taken aback by the amount the old man had already cut down. No wonder Mr. Carr was exhausted. He had sawed down at least ten trees already. The man had to be in his sixties or better. Andru pulled up the last five trees Mr. Carr pointed out, and then went back and shifted and dressed.

  “Thank you, son. That sure saved me a world of back pain.”

  “Do you need some help loading them up?” Andru asked.

  “I hate to keep you any longer. I’m sure Jill’s parents are expecting you.”

  Andru looked at Jill.

  “We’re happy to help, Mr. Carr. Do you do this every year?” Jill asked him.

  “Yeah, I try to at least. These trees I don’t mind donating, but if I don’t raise enough money for gifts I’m not always able to provide them with presents. I dress up like Santa, and the Missus wears her Mrs. Clause outfit. We enjoy it.”

  Andru felt a sudden urge to help Mr. Carr. He imagined kids sitting around an empty tree and he was suddenly transported back to his childhood. The first few years had been hard.

  “Did you raise enough money for gifts this year?” Andru asked.

  “Not as much as I’d liked, but I can at least provide something small for each kid.”

  “I’d like to help.”

  “Do you have a list of some kind, Mr. Carr?” Jill asked.

  “Yes, each family makes a list, just in case we raise enough to provide enough.”

  “How long before you go do this?” Andru asked.

  “We usually show up around seven. The kids are baking cookies right now, compliments of my wives quilting club.”

  “Give us the list, we’ll meet you there,” Andru said.

  Mr. Carr hustled off into the small shed where he conducted his business, and shortly returned with a list.

  “How much for our tree?” Andru asked.

  “It’s on the house. I can’t thank you enough for helping me help these kids. It does something for your soul, seeing them light up,” Mr. Carr said teary eyed.

  Jill leaned in and hugged Mr. Carr before they hauled the trees and loaded them on the back of his truck. Andru secured their tree to the roof of the car and then made a call to his personal shopper at one of the chain stores. Andru was going to give those families the Christmas he never had as a child.

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  Chapter 16 - Jill

  If Jill had doubted the way she felt for Andru before, seeing him race through the stores and search for every last item on the list Mr. Carr had given them, she was sure now. She loved the man with every fiber of her being. Thanks to his connections they somehow had secured it all, and even had it gift wrapped all before seven.

  She had called her parents to tell them that they wouldn’t be over. Once she told them what her and Andru were doing, her parents wanted in on it as well. Andru and her father helped Mr. Carr unload the trees and deliver them to the individua
l rooms of each family.

  Her mom had always decorated ten different trees in her home, so she brought all of her decorations over and donated them to the families so they’d have plenty of ornaments to hang from the trees. The kids had made some of their own with crafts that had been donated, but everyone was thrilled with the additional ornaments.

  They spent the rest of the night helping decorate trees and watching Mr. Carr and his wife assume their roles as Mr. and Mrs. Clause. Once the children were all put to bed, they unloaded the gifts into the foyer and separated them by family.

  “You two go ahead and get out of here,” Mr. Carr said.

  “No, we can stay and help,” Jill offered even though she was more than ready to be alone with Andru.

  “I won’t hear of it. You still have your tree to decorate in time for Santa,” Mr. Carr said with a wink.

  Jill checked her watch. It was closing in on midnight, but she did still want to decorate her tree. She looked up at Andru to see what he thought. His eyes did all the talking. He was ready to have her all to himself as well.

  “Thanks for a wonderful evening, Mr. Carr,” Jill said, leaning in to hug the old man.

  “No, thank you two. You’ve made this night more than memorable.”

  Andru shook Mr. Carr’s hand and then they turned to leave. She hugged her parents and slid into the passenger seat of her car. Andru hung back and spoke to her parents briefly. Jill watched the encounter closely, but she couldn’t figure out what was being said. She wasn’t too nervous as her parents had taken to Andru as easily as she had.

  Once he got in the car, she tried to question him about it but he just shrugged and said he liked her parents. Their car ride home was quiet, both of them lost in thought over everything that had transpired that day. When they pulled up at her house, her cell phone rang.

  “It’s the detective,” she told Andru.

  “Poor guy, working on Christmas Eve.”

  “Hello,” Jill answered her phone.

  “Hi, Jill. I’m sorry to disturb you so late on Christmas Eve, but we wanted to let you know we found the guy responsible for the break in.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, a Mr. Ed Hunter. His family owns the wine cellar.”

  “Yes I know Ed. Are you sure?”

  “We’ve got him on one of the traffic cameras destroying the bake shop. Apparently he wanted to frame Andru Varcelli. He’s not saying why, though.”

  “I have a feeling I know why. Thank you for letting me know, Detective.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Merry Christmas, Detective.”

  “Merry Christmas.”

  Jill disconnected the call and closed the door behind Andru who had dragged their tree inside.

  “What’s the word?” Andru asked.

  “Apparently, Ed was the one who trashed my place.”

  “That makes sense. I told you he wanted you,” Andru said.

  Jill helped him ease the tree into the stand, and then she went to the kitchen to grab scissors and a glass of water. They cut the netting off that held the tree together so it could fluff back out in all its glory. Then Jill filled the stand’s bowl with water. Jill grabbed her box of decorations and they got to work. Andru wanted to know all the stories behind her ornaments, and Jill gladly told him each and every one. Once they had them all up, Andru produced an ornament of his own from his pocket.

  “I bought this at Mr. Carr’s. I never bought a Christmas ornament before,” he said with a slight blush to his cheeks.

  The ornament was a small camper van with a Santa clause hanging out the side of it. It was a hilarious ornament, and even funnier because it seemed so opposite of what Andru would ever pick.

  “He’s adorable. What on earth made you pick this one?”

  “I don’t know, it just made me smile.”

  “Me too,” Jill said as she plucked it from his hand and hung it on the very front of the tree.

  Andru pulled her back into his embrace, her back pressed against his chest. He slid her hair to one side and placed small kisses down her neck. The heat of his lips on her skin set her body on fire. His hands roamed her body, finally settling on her breasts. He molded them in his hands through the fabric of her clothes. Jill wanted to rip her shirt off to rid herself of any barriers between them.

  “I love you, my mate,” he whispered in her ear.

  “I love you too, Andru.” She turned and brought her lips to his. The kiss was gentle at first. She could tell he was trying to be gentle and take things slow. Jill was going to have none of that.

  Jill pulled back and lifted her shirt over her head and then slowly undid her pants button and slid them down her legs. Andru’s eyes burned into hers and then dropped to her breasts, his silent command for her to take her bra off. Jill obliged, slowly unhooking it and easing the straps down her arms and then finally letting her breasts fall free. Andru raised one hand and ran his thumb over one of her nipples, sending a wave of desire down to her core. He dropped his hand and his eyes moved down to her panties.

  “Lay down and take your panties off,” he commanded.

  Jill lay down on the floor in front of the Christmas tree and slowly slid her panties down her legs.

  “Spread your legs, baby,” Andru demanded, and she did so.

  “You’re so fucking perfect,” he purred.

  “And you’re entirely too clothed,” she replied.

  Andru made quick work of his own clothes and then covered her body with his. Jill’s hands roamed his back and his arms, loving how his hard muscles felt under her fingers. He feasted on her lips for a minute before moving down her body, taking each of her nipples into his mouth, stroking them with his tongue. Jill arched into his touch, desperate for more, desperate for release.

  He kissed a path down her stomach, but just before he got where she wanted him most, he nipped at the tender flesh on the inside of her thigh. Jill fisted a handful of his dark locks and tried to take him back to her swollen clit, but he refused to budge. Andru continued his torture on her body until he had kissed almost every inch of her legs and had her writhing with desperation.

  As soon as his tongue slid over her core, Jill cried out with her release. Andru continued to lap at her like she was his last meal. Jill didn’t think she was capable of another orgasm until it ripped through her body. Andru kissed his way back up her body and claimed her mouth again. She could taste her essence on his tongue, which was just as arousing as the action.

  Andru flipped them over so that she was straddling him. He rocked her over his throbbing erection, pleasure scorching from his eyes.

  “Ride me, mate,” he hissed.

  Jill lined him up with her soaking entrance and then slid down his length. Its size took some adjusting, but her body soaked him in.

  “I think I was made for you,” she said breathlessly.

  “You were,” he said, gripping her hips and moving her back up his length and then slamming her back down. Jill moaned with pleasure.

  She quickly took over the pace. Their eyes stayed locked on one another. Andru’s hands left her hips and he pinched her nipples. The painful sensation quickly turned to pleasure, so much so that Jill held his hands there, begging him for more. Her pace quickened as she felt another orgasm build inside of her.

  Jill squeezed him tight as she exploded around him, and seconds later he joined her, grabbing her hips and holding her on him as he poured himself inside of her. Jill collapsed on his chest, completely satiated.

  Andru lifted her and carried her back to her bed, snuggling them down under the blankets together. Jill threw her leg over him and let the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lull her to sleep.

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  Chapter 17 - Andru

  He woke the next morning and Jill was already out of bed. He found a pair of pajama pants Jill must have left out for him by the bed and slid them on. He was going to have to go get his stuff. He padded down the hall and found Jill with a cup of coff
ee in hand, looking out the window in her kitchen.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  “Merry Christmas,” Jill exclaimed with a vibrant smile.

  She went to him and kissed him hard on the lips.

  “Merry Christmas.”

  “Are you ready to open the rest of your presents?” Jill asked.

  “The rest of them?”

  “Those pants were one of your presents, but I figured you could use them sooner rather than later. We’re going to need to go get your stuff.”

  “Thank you, they’re very comfortable. Also, yes, I agree. After I give you your present,” Andru said before turning back to the living room where he had shed his clothes the night before.

  He fumbled through his pants until he found the small velvet box he had been holding onto. Jill was behind him so he dropped to one knee and held the box out.

  “Jill, I could never sum up how I feel about you with one simple gesture, nor does the proposition of marriage equal the bond we now share, but would you do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

  Jill flipped the box open and gasped. Tears filled her eyes as she ran her finger over the simple, yet beautiful ring.

  “It’s beautiful, Andru,” she said.

  “Is that a yes?”

  “No.”

  “No!” He hadn’t realized he had yelled until she started laughing.

  “I can’t marry you because I’m your mate, and I want to perform the mate bond ceremony, not a marriage ceremony.”

  “You know about the mate bond ceremony.”

  “I looked it up.”

  “I love you, woman,” he said, lifting her in his embrace and twirling her around.

  “I love you, too. Also, I’m keeping the ring. It’s absolutely breathtaking.”

  “The ring is yours.”

  “Don’t think I don’t realize that you went over our agreed budget,” she said, eyeing him as she slipped the beauty on her finger.

  “I didn’t. Ask Angela; she’s the one who made it. It was a hundred bucks.”