That got my attention. “They what?”
“Yeah. There’s not enough of anyone for division. So it’s like Woodland Park, but they’re in their animal form most of the time.”
I might be able to warm to this idea. If we’d found a place I wasn’t going to be treated like a like a battering ram, I was on board with that. Even if there were big parts of this story being left out. If Leo and Dylan were serious about this alternative ski area thing, maybe there was a dance class I could incorporate in that went with the vibe of what they planned. Like Leo said, if I could do what I loved, I’d be really happy.
“We did some research today, too,” Ari said as she continued to knead Dylan’s shoulders. “No surprise here, the ski area is probably abandoned. I have a request in to pull the deed. We have to go through county, which always takes forever. If they can trace it back to anyone, you have to petition the owner for sale. If not, you have to pay the back taxes on the place. Since it’s been decades since the place has been used, it could be steep. Or depending on how the land is incorporated, it could be nothing.”
“Maybe this Bid guy would know?” I suggested. “That might cut out a lot of trouble.”
“He said he didn’t,” Leo said as he sat down, pulling me down on his lap. I frowned in disbelief. “I thought it was weird, too. He doesn’t seem like a guy who doesn’t know things. So he probably wants us to figure it out on our own. But as you saw, the place is a ghost town. Traver used other parts of the mountain for his business.”
“So what’s your plan?”
“We’re on hold until we get those deeds.” Dylan drew Ari into him, and she laughed as she landed. “Leo and I talked on the way back here. Today went well, but we need to be careful. Bid’s trying to work with us, but I can’t get a read yet on the lions. They haven’t worked with outsiders for a long time. They’re not used to compromise.”
WE’D LEFT EVERYTHING behind on Soldier Mountain. None of the furniture in the cabin belonged to Leo, it came furnished and was part of his pay. We were starting completely over. First order of business, a place to live.
Neither of us had a job or much money, so our choices weren’t very good. Someone in the herd had a tiny cabin available outside of town. It wasn’t really a house, more of a shifting shack. A place to go and be wild on all counts. I was thankful they rented to us. I’d get Ari to help me spruce it up and it would be super cute in no time.
The first thing I did was go over to the faucet and turn on the water. “Paradise.” I laughed, turning to find Leo right behind me in the tiny kitchenette. I leaned back against the counter, and Leo picked me up and sat me on it. There was barely enough room for my butt. He met my lips in a kiss, and his fingers ran along the scar at the small of my back so lightly it gave me goose bumps.
“Paradise is wherever you are,” Leo said as he pulled away, his forehead still resting against mine. His smile was fuzzy this close. I hooked my fingers on his shoulders, his purr sent tremors down my arms. “I think I’m going to like it here.” One more kiss. “A lot.”
I motioned to the bed in the corner. The place was one big room, but it was all we needed. “How scary do you think that bedding is?”
Leo turned to consider it. “I don’t think it should be that bad. Dave didn’t look like he was doing anything too crazy here in the recent past.”
I didn’t want to think about Dave like that. He came over on Thursday nights and played Cribbage with my parents. “He hasn’t rented out in a while, either. It could be pretty musty.”
“Let’s check it out,” Leo suggested. I started to slide off of the counter but Leo caught me by the waist and carried me to the bed, dropping me on the comforter. I squealed when I cloud of dust and pollen rose around me.
“That’s what I thought.” I coughed and yanked the comforter off the bed, tossing it on the floor. Leo chuckled as he crawled on to the bed, leading me down on the pillow.
Before kissing me, he took a deep breath. Sniffing. Such a cat. “This isn’t so bad. You can go shopping tomorrow. But tonight, I have other plans.”
I propped myself up on my elbow. “Oh yeah? What are they?”
“They start like this.” He took my face in his hands, his warm breath tickling my lips before he touched me. I parted them and he ran his tongue along the roof of my mouth. My body turned to jelly with the motion.
Leo knew it, and he chuckled against my lips. “I was thinking as we signed the lease,” he said. I did not want to talk about leases right now. “This is going to be the closest to normal we’ve ever been. We’re near town, you can go in whenever you want. We can get you a car, and you can hang out with Chloe and Ari, and train like you used to...”
He couldn’t continue because I put my finger over his mouth. I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”
I was afraid to open my eyes, because I had no idea how he’d react. When I did, his mouth was open, but he was smiling. If I hadn’t been sure, his glittering eyes said everything he couldn’t yet. I chuckled nervously and bit my lip. “How?” he finally asked.
My next laugh came way more easily. “Because we’ve been screwing like jackrabbits and we haven’t been using condoms.”
Leo pressed his lips together, bowing his head in amusement. His hair tickled my neck before he looked back up at me. “I know how it works. But I didn’t think you were in heat anymore.”
“Neither did I. Does stay fertile until March, but not as much as we are in the fall. My mom had Delilah in the summer, so it happens.”
Leo rolled off me and sat cross-legged on the bed. He ran his hand through his hair, and that feeling I’d been dreading overwhelmed me. “What’s wrong?” I could barely form the words, not sure I wanted the answer. We had never talked about this the way we should have. In the back of my mind, I didn’t think it was possible. And now we had a lot to figure out.
“Absolutely nothing.” Leo laughed with one of those abrupt chuckles that someone lets out when they’re stunned. He pulled me into his lap. “I figured we were going to be the cool aunt and uncle that got everyone else’s kids hopped up on sugar and then laughed hysterically when we dropped them off at home. I didn’t think...” He took a deep breath, shaking his head with a smile.
“It’s okay if you say it’s scary.” My voice shook. “I’m terrified. I’ve looked this up everywhere. There’s nothing to tell us what’s going to happen. And when everyone realizes I’m pregnant...”
Now it was his turn to hush me. “They’re going be insanely happy for us, like they should be.” His finger only left my lips so he could kiss me. “And if they’re not, that’s their problem. Not ours.”
Chapter Fourteen
THIS WAS HOW I ALWAYS pictured life with Leo once we got off the mountain and I was loving every minute of it. After a few trips to the second hand stores in town, Ari helped me make the place look fantastic. I saw my family and Chloe all the time. I had a new job teaching gymnastics to little girls in town after school, including my sister Dakota. Leo was starting to pick up some clients for his summer rock climbing gig. The spring sun always felt warmer than it really was, and I could tell Leo had been climbing shirtless, because his skin was turning the most beautiful shade of golden brown. Paired with his sun streaked hair, his hazel eyes looked gold. I’d had no idea it was actually possible for him to look sexier than he already did.
“That feels so good.” I moaned as Leo rubbed my feet. My body was so sore from working with the girls. Teaching was so different than training. I had to really think about all the things that had become instinct and break it down so they could learn. “I can’t believe how tired I get now. I feel like an old lady.”
“You look beautiful.” Leo picked up my foot and kissed it. “You’re glowing.”
“Yeah, Mom and Chloe keep saying that, too.” I frowned. “I keep telling them it’s because I’m training again.”
“When are you going to tell them?” Leo sighed. He’d wanted to s
hout the news about the baby from the rooftops, but I begged him to keep my secret a little while longer. I knew I was running out of time. Summer was coming and my belly wasn’t getting any smaller. I wouldn’t be able to hide behind loose tops and sweats forever.
“Probably after the ceremony.” I moaned when he hit the tender spot at the ball of my foot that needed his attention the most. “I don’t want to steal Chloe’s thunder since everyone’s sure to flip out over this, and I want to see the doctor first. Make sure she’s healthy and happy in there before I start introducing her to people.”
“He’s going to be perfect, and you know it,” Leo teased. We’d been going back and forth on this ever since I told him about the baby. I always referred to her as she, and he always insisted she was a boy. “Chloe’s going to be over the moon, planning playdates, and your mom is going to love her grandchild, no matter what.”
Chloe had her baby, a little girl named Juliette. I stayed with her from the time Cane called me to tell me the baby was coming until she came out. Both parents were overwhelmed and exhausted, but even more important, Juliette had them completely spellbound. I understood. I already felt that way about my baby.
My eyes stung, but I wouldn’t cry. “You’re right.” At least I hoped he was.
“I am.” Leo moved from my feet to my calves. If I was a cougar, I’d be purring right now.
“I’m afraid to tell Ari,” I said softly. She was doing better now, but I’d caught her looking too long at Juliette more than once. She’d become such a good friend I didn’t want to hurt her.
Leo put my leg down carefully and moved up the length of my body. His breath was noisy in my ear. “She knows,” he whispered, then pulled back with a sly smile on his face.
“You told her?” My mouth fell open in shock. “What did she say?”
“Yeah.” Now Leo was glowing. “Daphne, I’m going to be a dad. I can’t keep that to myself. So I told my brother and Ari. They’re excited about him. And Ari brought up an excellent point.”
“What’s that?”
“That any pride or herd challenge about us is completely invalid.” Leo nodded, satisfied. “You’re having a baby.”
“She’s a genius.” I laughed. For the first time in a long time, I actually relaxed. I didn’t realize how wound up I’d been until the one thing that had bothered me the most didn’t exist anymore. The only argument that anyone could come up with for me not to be with Leo was that we couldn’t have a baby. Tell that to the one growing in my belly.
“I thought so.” Leo rolled away from me and sat against the wall with his head tipped back. I scooted up so I could rest my head on his shoulder, and he rubbed my arm and didn’t say anything else for a long time. He purred. “You know what?” he finally said. “I love us. Not only you and me, but our whole group. Dylan and Ari, and Chloe and Cane. I spent so much time alone before because I didn’t have the right people in my life.”
“That makes me sad and happy at the same time.” I kissed his cheek. “But this means you found where you’re supposed to be.”
“I did. But not everything is good news. Ari heard back from the county. Getting the deed of the ski area isn’t going to be as easy as we hoped.”
“Why?” I asked. It was no surprise it wasn’t going to go smoothly. But it was another relief to know what are obstacles would actually be. Now we’d be able to get to work.
“They found the next of kin of the old owner.” Leo pulled me in tighter. “And it’s Linnea.”
Chapter Fifteen
I COULDN’T BREATHE as we approached Mount Deception. I hadn’t been back since getting chased off the mountain by Jackson and Jonah. Now that we had to go through Linnea to get the ski area, I wanted nothing to do with the place. The guys wouldn’t give up so easily now that they came this far. Dylan insisted that if we bought her out, then we’d finally be rid of her.
“Linnea won’t be there. She doesn’t care about that place.” Leo reminded me. “It’s fallen to ruins. Dylan said she didn’t even know about it until the deed came through.”
“So what kind of party do you think they throw on Deception?” I asked him, trying to change the subject. It wasn’t going to work, but I’d wasted enough energy on Linnea already. She didn’t deserve it. And the chances of her hanging around an abandoned ski area she had no idea about before a week ago were pretty low.
Bid said he’d warned her before. Something told me she knew more than she was owning up to.
He wiggled his eyebrows and smirked before answering. “A pretty good one, I would guess.” When it was obvious I didn’t share his enthusiasm, he added, “It’s not going to be like Soldier Mountain.”
I pressed my lips together and turned to the window, putting my hands over my belly. So much more was at stake now. My blood ran cold. “Right. Dylan won’t hold you back this time.”
“They’re going to love you,” he growled. “I mean it when I say it’s different. You’ll see.”
I nodded. There was no use arguing about this. Neither of us were going to change our minds. Whatever was going to play out was going happen soon. Fighting with Leo wasn’t going to make it better. Dylan pulled into a parking lot, and he and Ari hopped out of the truck immediately. Leo hesitated before opening his door, and took my hand. “Trust me, Daphne. I know I was wrong before, but I learned from my mistake. So hasn’t Dylan. If something happens to you, they better kill me too, because I’ll rip them to shreds or die trying.”
“I trust you.” I squeezed his hand and got out of the truck before I lost my nerve.
No one said much to one another in the lot. Dylan and Leo had already stripped out of their shirts, anxious to get this party started. “Hey,” Ari said, hugging me with a tell-tale grin on her face.
“Hey.” I pulled away slightly and her gaze fell to my tummy. “So I hear someone is terrible at keeping secrets.” I shot a glance at Leo.
“I know!” She pulled me into a much tighter hug, rocking me back and forth. “I’m so excited for you guys. I can’t wait to be an auntie.”
Ari was going to make me cry. Instead of vomiting up my feelings, Gods knew I did that enough lately, I changed the subject. “Ready for this party?”
“Yeah.” Ari took a deep breath, and she wasn’t relaxed either. It made me feel better that my hunch wasn’t crazy. “I hear nothing but good things about these guys.”
“Mmm.”
“It’s not going to be like the challenge. That was all anyone could talk about for weeks. The boys have worked hard to get Deception excited about the ski area. They’re ready for change. All of them.”
“What about Linnea?” Ari stiffened at the mention of her name. “She won’t make this easy for us.”
“Dylan’s asked around about her. She’s not well known up here, and if they do know her, they don’t like her. Bid says she’s trouble. So yeah, she’s going to be the pain in the ass she always is. But this time, we’re not the minority.” Ari shook her head. “And to think I used to call her a friend.”
Dylan had already shifted. Ari settled on the back bumper of the truck, untying her sneakers. Leo was still human, and he rounded the truck, putting his arm around me.
“Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked. “Alone?”
Ari wrinkled her nose at that, but didn’t question it as Leo and I walked away from the truck. He kissed my cheek. “What’s up?”
“What if shifting’s bad for the baby?” I bit my lip. “No one ever shifts when they’re pregnant. And when Ari did it...”
Leo didn’t say anything right away, but he looked over my head to Ari. He nodded. “Don’t do it.”
“How am I going to get up the mountain?”
He took a deep breath. “I’ll carry you. Get on my back, and hold on to my neck.”
We walked back over to Ari, who was still human. The idea of riding Leo like a horse was nothing short of terrifying, but it still seemed safer than shifting. “I’m staying human,” I told he
r.
“You are?” She looked from me to Leo, confused. Dylan sat by her feet. He picked up his head and made a noise I couldn’t understand, but I had a feeling it was the same question.
“Yeah.” I squeezed Leo’s hand so hard I thought I was going to break it. “In case it’s not a good idea...”
I didn’t have to finish the thought. Ari’s face went black. She swallowed hard and nodded. “It isn’t a good idea.” She could barely get the words out.
“I’m...”
She shook her head and wouldn’t let me continue. Dylan rubbed against her legs hard, like he was trying to tell her something. “I’m not going to do it, either.” She did her best to smile as Dylan relaxed at her feet. “Somebody’s got to bring the boys’ clothes up the mountain.”
I laughed. Had we all shifted, we would’ve shown up for the party naked. Leo said anything goes on Mount Deception, but this party didn’t need to be any more awkward. “You’re right.”
Once Leo shifted, he lay down in front of me. I copied what Ari did, she straddled Dylan’s back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Leo was much bigger as a lion, but laying my body on his like this really drove the difference home. Instead of feeling wobbly and insecure, Leo’s broad back held me safely. His mane felt like silk. I rested my cheek against it, snuggling against him as he led Dylan up the mountain much more carefully than usual, his purr rumbling through my body.
For the very first time, I felt the baby kick. I didn’t even think she was old enough for that yet.
“Dylan says they’re going to clear the paths,” Ari called out to me once the clearing was wide enough for the brothers to walk side by side. “Then they’ll be able to get an ATV up here. They’ll need it anyway, once they start bringing supplies up to the ski area.”
I sunk my hands into Leo’s scruff. “You know what? I like this way more than I thought I would.”
Leo said something I couldn’t understand, and Ari laughed. “He says he’ll carry you around like this any time you want.”
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