“It’s OK,” Melanie said, putting her hand on her brother’s arm. “You stay with Alli, and I will go and get the bags.”
“Take my truck.” Kian offered her the keys. “Please drive carefully, Melanie. I saw your car in the ditch. What happened?”
“I swerved and lost control,” Melanie said, hanging her head. “I’m sorry, I should have been more careful. It was all my fault.”
“Yes, you should have,” Kian said, his voice rising. “Did you forget you had Alli in there with you? I expect you to be more sensible, Melanie.”
“Kian, I’m sorry.” She became aware of Taylor watching her, of the way his body language had changed when he saw her upset. Part of her longed to hide herself in his big broad chest and let him take care of her, to make this right.
And then Taylor spoke. “It was my fault.”
“Taylor, no, no it wasn’t.” Melanie was about to explain everything to Kian when the door opened behind her and Dr. Ben appeared.
“Kian, glad you made it in time. Baby is on its way; I think Alli will be a lot happier now you’re here. Come through.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Kian said.
“I’ll go and fetch her bags,” Melanie said, watching her brother go in to his mate, concern etched deep into his features.
But before the door closed on him, he said, “Thanks, Melanie.”
“I’ll go with her,” said Taylor.
Kian looked at him, and then said, “I think you’ve done enough, Taylor. I don’t want you to have anything more to do with Melanie.” With that, he went inside, the door closing behind him.
Melanie stood in shock. What had just happened? She turned to Taylor and said, “Why did you take the blame? It wasn’t your fault.”
“I hated the way you felt when Kian was coming down on you like that. I thought it would help.”
“I know, but you just made it worse.”
“Well, he can’t forbid you from seeing me. I’m your mate; we belong together.”
She sighed, hating what a mess the day had become. Because already she was feeling torn between her brother and her mate. “I’ll explain it to him later. He’ll come round.” She hated to think how it would be if he didn’t. She couldn’t live split between two worlds, she had lived that life before, and she knew she couldn’t do it again.
She turned and walked out of the hospital, feeling Taylor’s presence as he followed her. Melanie knew he had acted out of concern for her. He had lied for her, to protect her. All she had to do was work out how to make it right between the two men in her life, her brother who loved and protected her, and the man who wanted to take over that job.
“Do you want me to drive?” Taylor asked as they reached the truck. “I’m not saying your driving is bad.”
“But I did just put my car in the ditch.”
“Yes, you have a point. But driving is what I do for a living. So I am experienced.”
“I know,” she said, not thinking.
“How do you know? As far as I can remember, we have never met.”
She sighed. There was no point trying to conceal anything from him, he had already proved that honesty is the best way to deal with things. Lies got you in trouble. “I see you passing the store where I work. Bear Brides.”
He laughed. “So that’s it. You knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I have had the weirdest feeling every time I passed your store for the last couple of weeks. I couldn’t work it out. Now I know, my mate was there waiting for me.”
She climbed into the truck, her heart lurching at being so close to him. Now they had found each other, she only hoped they were going to have a happy ever after.
Chapter Six – Taylor
“Why didn’t you come find me?” he asked. He had steered the truck safely out of town and they were heading up to the farmhouse. Melanie sat beside him; it felt wonderful to have her this close in a confined space.
“I didn’t know how.”
“That’s lame. I drive for Savage Haulage. It’s written on the side of the truck in big letters. I’m not hard to find.” He glanced across at her and could read her so well already; he knew there was more to it. “I scare you?”
“No,” she said quickly. “It’s not that.” She gazed out at the snow, which was still falling heavily. And he let her have all the time she needed to formulate the answer he needed to hear.
While he waited, he breathed in her scent, knowing she was a bear, just the same as he was. That made things a lot easier. It meant they would be on a similar wavelength, would like the same things. Running across the meadows high up in the mountains and sitting in cool streams when the summer came. He smiled to himself, allowing the happiness that came with finding your one true mate to flow over him.
“I haven’t lived in Bear Creek for very long. I moved here with Kian.” She looked sideways at him and then plowed on. “I’ve only just learned to control my bear. That’s why we moved here, so that I would have the freedom of the mountains and the forests.”
“Bear Creek and Bear Bluff are the best places to be if you intend to learn to control your other side.” He could tell there was more. She sighed nervously, making her breasts swell, and then she said, “I have a fantastic job working with Alli. And I feel settled, for the first time in my life. You see, my parents died and Kian had to fight to get me back out of foster care. We’ve settled here, as a family. I never expected this to happen; I don’t know how he’s going to feel about me finding my mate.”
They pulled up outside the farmhouse and sat silently for a moment, Melanie looking at her hands. He could empathise with her, he really could. But there was no denying the mating urge, and he was certain Kian would understand that. If it wasn’t for the fact he now thought Taylor was responsible for the accident that might have cost him his unborn baby.
Now he could see why Melanie was so worried. Would it really come down to a choice between her brother or her mate? He hoped not, because he was sure that the mating bond would win. It was too strong to deny, especially once the relationship had been consummated, a thing he wanted to do right now if he had the chance. However, she would never be wholly his; she would always belong to her brother too.
“I will make this right, Melanie. I promise.”
“No. Leave it to me. I’ll explain it to Kian.” With that, she got out of the truck and headed for the farmhouse, taking his heart with her.
Chapter Seven – Melanie
It seemed so strange going into the farmhouse now. She loved it here, loved the perfect position it nestled in under the protective gaze of the mountain. Yet if she mated with Taylor, she would lose that.
If she mated with Taylor?
It was a forgone conclusion. Even now, walking away from him hurt, made it hard for her to breathe. All she could think of was how his lips would feel on her skin. Yet she had to get Alli’s bags and go back to the hospital. Where Kian was waiting to remind her he never wanted her to see Taylor again. What a mess.
It didn’t matter how much she wanted to blame Taylor, she knew he had only done it to help her. Even if he was wrong. She went up to the room Kian shared with Alli and picked up the bags, adding her toothbrush and hairbrush. Then she went to her own room and picked up the gift she had bought ready for the baby. They had all been looking forward to welcoming the little bear cub into their lives. Now it all seemed ruined.
However, Melanie had never been the kind of person to hide from her troubles; she knew they never went away on their own. She also knew that she had to find a way for it to work between Taylor and Kian.
Taking the stairs at a run, she went back down to find Taylor waiting outside for her, snow settling on his head and his jacket. “You should have come inside.”
“I couldn’t. It didn’t feel right with this being Kian’s house.” He smiled crookedly at her. “I can see why you like it here though. So peaceful and quiet.”
She laughed. “Everything is quiet wh
en the snow falls like this.”
“Except for my heart.” He took a step towards her. “I can’t think straight around you, Melanie. I need to kiss you. And then we’ll go back to the hospital.”
She stood staring at him, at his lips, so full, hinting at the passion inside the man. Taking one step toward him, she said, “I don’t know if one kiss will be enough.”
He took the last two steps to take her in his arms, pressing his body against hers. His body shielded her from the snow as he lowered his head and kissed her on the lips, a sigh escaping her at this first contact between mates. She let the bag drop to the floor, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down further, offering herself to him. Taylor put his large hand on the small of her back and gathered her closer so that she could feel the hard press of his cock against her. He wanted her to know how much he desired her and how strong his arousal was.
Melanie opened her mouth, licking the inside of his lower lip with her tongue, feeling the shiver of desire run through him. Their kiss deepened, and he met her with his own tongue, entwining it with hers. Sensual lips moved to bring her body to the height of arousal, and she wanted him to lift her up and carry her back into the house. There to lay her on the bed and make love to her. Then she thought of Alli and broke away.
“We have to go,” she said raggedly.
“I know. But later, when you know Alli and the baby are safe, we are going to pick up where we left off, and I don’t intend to stop until we have made our bond complete.”
She leaned her head against his chest, breathing in the scent of him. “I know. I want it too, I just need to see they are OK first.” She picked up the bags and made her way through the snow to the truck, realising how wet her shoes were. They were not exactly suitable for walking in the snow and had absorbed moisture when they walked to meet the ambulance. However, she couldn’t face going back into the farmhouse to change them.
He drove them back to town, back past her poor car, which was nearly completely obscured by the snow. “I’ll come over and pull it out for you,” Taylor said. “My truck should be man enough for the job. You certainly planted it well in that ditch.”
“Don’t remind me,” she said, looking away. “A car came towards us and skidded on the bend. It made me swerve and we left the road.”
“So it wasn’t your fault. And there was I saving up all of my jokes about women drivers,” he grinned at her, and she knew he was simply trying to cheer her up.
“I still blame myself. I should have kept the car on the road.”
“Hey, let it go. Alli and the baby will be fine, we’ll clear it all up with Kian, and then we can move on to the part of our lives. The part where I take you to bed ... now, that part I am looking forward to.”
She ducked her head and blushed. Her body coming alive as he spoke. She had never bothered with men; there was always too much going on in her life. She was young, her nineteenth birthday only a couple of months away, sex was something unknown to her. So the thought of making love to a man she had only just met was frightening, but also intensely arousing. Because he wasn’t a stranger, not really, he was the one, her mate, and she would be in very safe, capable hands.
“So, apart from the fact you live in Bear Bluff and work for Savage Haulage, what else do I need to know about you?” she asked, trying to take her mind off the two of them in bed.
“I come from a big family. There are six of us. I am the youngest and, of course, the favourite.”
“Of course.” She smiled, liking that he came from a big family; she had always wondered what it would be like to have had more siblings, or parents. She had forgotten what it was like to have a mom and a dad; Kian had become all those things to her. Once more, her heart lurched at the thought of having to upset him, but she would have to explain it all to him until he understood. Her brother could be pigheaded sometimes, but he was always fair. And since becoming one with Alli, he had learned to calm down and be more accepting. Less proud.
“They’ll love you,” he said.
Melanie felt butterflies in her stomach, flitting around as she thought nervously about having to meet his family. “Are you sure? I’m not much of a catch.”
“Ah, the best thing about being the youngest is that all they want is for me to be happy. And I think we will make each other very happy, Melanie.”
They drove into the hospital parking lot, and he turned off the ignition before leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. “Let’s go and put this right, Melanie.”
She turned and kissed him, placing her hand on his cheek, stroking the stubble on his chin, finding she liked the way it scratched her fingers. “Let me do the talking.”
“OK. I’ll stand there like a dumb old bear.”
“Good. That would be perfect.” She got out of the car before he had chance to answer. And together, they made their way to the maternity unit.
“Hi, I wondered if there was any news on Alli?” she asked the receptionist.
“Oh, yes. I think she had her baby. I’ll page Dr. Ben.”
They waited nervously for a few minutes and then the receptionist picked up the phone. “Yes. Alli’s sister is here.” She listened carefully and then hung up. “You can go on down. Room 3, just ring the bell and the nurse will come and fetch you.
“I’ll wait here if it would make things easier,” Taylor said.
“No, walk down to the room with me, and then I’ll go in alone. I don’t want it to look as if you are guilty. And I might need to remind Kian that it was you who saved Alli.”
“If you’re sure,” he said and followed her, more because he didn’t want to let her out of his sight than because he wanted to see Kian again.
When they reached the room, she rang the bell and a nurse came. “Hi, Melanie, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Come in.” She opened the door, looked at Taylor expectantly, and then when he shook his head, took Melanie into the room alone.
“Oh, Alli.” She went to the bed, where Alli and Kian were sat, admiring their new baby, which was wrapped in blankets, its tiny head poking out.
“Here we are, Callum. Meet your Auntie Melanie.” Alli looked exhausted, but happy.
“So everything was OK?” Melanie asked, stroking the little boy’s cheek so very softly.
“Yes. He came quickly in the end. And he is perfectly healthy, so it’s all ended up all right.”
Melanie looked at Kian, who was too absorbed in the baby to notice her concern. So she decided she needed to voice it now, rather than let the lie go on. “Kian, I want you to know the accident was completely my fault.”
Kian looked up, a frown covering his face. “Let’s not talk about this now, Melanie.”
“But I have to. Taylor wasn’t involved in any way.”
“He said he was the reason you swerved.”
“He lied.” Now she could feel both of their gazes on her, and she hated it. Hated this kind of scrutiny.
“Why?” Kian asked quietly.
“To protect me. He could tell I was upset. So he tried to make it right.”
“Why would he do that? And why was he there?” Kian’s voice rose. The baby wriggled in Alli’s arms, but Alli reached out and touched Kian on the arm, forcing him to look at her.
“Why do you think?” Alli asked Kian.
Kian’s eyes widened. “You mean…”
“Yes.” Tears threatened, but Melanie choked them back down. “Please don’t be angry. He came over to Bear Creek because he knew his mate was there.”
“How? It usually happens when you see them for the first time.”
“It did, for me, but I saw him and he didn’t see me. It’s been a bit lopsided for a couple of weeks. Every time he passed by the store, he felt it. But it wasn’t until today that he knew.”
“But you did?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say?”
“Because I didn’t want to upset you. I didn’t want thing
s to change.”
“Oh, Melanie. Things always change and evolve. And something like this, you can’t run from it.” Kian smiled sadly at her.
“That is coming from a man who knows,” said Alli.
“I suppose I owe him an apology.” Kian didn’t look too happy about the prospect, and then added, “Although it was Taylor who lied.”
“He is going to be a part of our family whether you like it or not, Kian,” Alli reminded him.
Melanie gave her a thankful smile, but Kian’s words had confirmed her fears. Her brother was not ready to accept her mate.
Chapter Eight – Taylor
If it wasn’t for the bond he had with Melanie, he would have been out of there. The last thing he needed was Kian on his back. Taylor knew he had been a fool to lie to him, but he had done it for the right reasons, even if those reasons were totally unfounded. Now the more he thought about it, the more he felt like a complete idiot. Something that did not sit well with Taylor.
“Taylor,” Melanie coming out of the hospital room. “Come in.”
She beckoned him and he hesitated. “No. It’s a time for your family to be together.”
“You are part of our family now,” she said, leaning forward and grabbing hold of his hand. He was sure sparks erupted from him where her skin touched his, and her eyes flew to his face; she could feel it too. A moment of intense recognition passed between them. “Please, Taylor.”
He followed her, unable to deny her anything. All he wanted to do was make her happy, and get her into his bed. Damn, he should not be thinking that at this moment. He felt himself harden, and knew how inappropriate that was when he was going into a hospital room. Carefully, he regained control, and by the time he had walked the ten paces to the bed where Alli and Kian sat with their new baby, his composure was back intact.
“Taylor. Melanie has told me what happened. I’m sorry for overreacting.” Kian stood and offered Taylor his hand. Taylor smiled and took it. “In fact I think I owe you my thanks. Without you, my family might not be here now.”
Complete Bear Creek and Bear Bluff Box Sets: Including brand new exclusive book Best Man Bear Page 64
