“It is?” she asked. “I figured it was the brother trying to mess with Robert’s head.”
“No, I saw the same handwriting on a photo.” He lifted the edge of the wrapping paper and undid it carefully. Inside was an iPhone. Theo turned it over in his hand.
“That’s what he asked for, for Christmas. We said we couldn’t spend that much money on a Christmas gift; we have four kids here. His mom must have already bought it, and wrapped it.”
“And Dominic must have wanted him to have it.”
“Oh my,” she said, and sobbed into her hand.
“Listen, Mrs.…?”
“Levey. Sandra Levey.”
“Sandra. There’s been no harm done here. Can we just forget about it?”
“If you find Dominic, make him swear he won’t come here again.”
“I will,” Theo promised.
“You call me when you do.” She told Theo her number, and then took the gift off him. “I’ll think about what I’m going to do with this.”
“OK. Thank you.” Theo said, knowing it was the best he was going to get, and that they still needed to find Dominic.
He jogged back to the car. “How did it go?” Zara asked.
“He left a gift on the doorstep this morning, a gift his mom had already bought and wrapped for Christmas. It has her handwriting on it and everything. I remember seeing the gifts on the table. I wondered who they were for.” He shook his head. “I should have asked.”
“That’s in the past. Right now, we need to know where Dominic is.” She looked out of the window at the kids playing in the street. “That’s what childhood is supposed to be about.”
“Do you think he’d go home? Back to his real home?” Theo asked.
“Do you know where that is?” Zara asked in return.
“No. I’d have to get hold of Amanda, and she’d have to go to the yard, and see if it’s in the file.” He put his head in his hands. “Poor kid, he must feel so alone right now.”
“We’ll find him,” Zara said.
Theo felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. “I bet that’s Dylan, we should update him.”
“I already told him we’re here,” Zara said.
“I’ll tell him we’re going to keep searching.” He took his phone out of his pocket, and swiped to read the text.
I’m sorry. Can you help make it right?
“What?” Zara said.
“It’s from Dominic.” He quickly sent a reply. “I asked him where he is.”
The ATV broke down. I don’t know where exactly I am.
“Damn. OK. Can you call him, and get him to tell us what he sees. Or what road he’s on. A highway, a back road. The mountain. A direction, anything.”
He drove away, with Zara giving him whatever information Dominic could think of. He’d left Ash Springs, heading away from Bear Bluff, but then changed his mind. Somehow, he’d got himself lost and run out of fuel.
It took them an hour to find him, but eventually they drove down a narrow road, and there he was, sitting on the side of the road, head in his hands, crying.
“I screwed up, I’m so sorry,” Dominic said. “Can you forgive me?”
He sobbed fit to break anyone’s heart, and Theo didn’t think twice before pulling him into his arms and hugging him. “You fool, you’re supposed to come to me for help before you get in trouble, not after. I’m your mentor for a reason.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I swear I won’t let you down again,” Dominic sobbed. “I just wanted Robert to get the phone. It’s all he wanted, he went on and on to my mom and dad all year, and when their stuff was given to me, it was in there, all wrapped up. I wanted to give it to him, and to see him…” He spoke through gut-wrenching sobs.
“But you didn’t see him?” Theo asked, knowing that would really screw things up.
“I did.” Dominic wiped his eyes. “Through the window. But he didn’t see me. He looked so happy, and I knew I had to leave, that him seeing me would have messed him up.”
“It’s OK. Listen, you have to promise you won’t go back there, not unless we go to court and get some kind of visitation rights.”
“Is that possible?” Dominic asked.
“If it is, we’ll find a way. I promise. But you have to promise that whatever happens you abide by it. Another few years, and he’ll be free to make his own decisions, and you want to have a nice place for him to come stay if he chooses to look up his big brother.”
“I promise,” Dominic said.
“OK, now I’m going to ring Mrs. Levey and tell her that, and then we’re going to load that thing into my truck and go home and pretend none of this ever happened.”
“What about Dylan?” Dominic asked. “Will he fire me?”
“No. He won’t. But I think you just used your get out of jail free card, so don’t mess up again. And if you do, talk to me.”
“I will.” Dominic sighed, his whole body trembling. “Since my parents died, and I lost Robert, I thought I didn’t need anyone, that I didn’t want to care for anyone. But I was wrong.”
“We all need someone to talk to and to trust, Dominic. You have Theo. And you have me,” Zara said, and she hugged Dominic while Theo made some calls.
Chapter Seventeen – Zara
“Who would have guessed my big, bad bear was such a soft touch?” Zara whispered.
“What? I couldn’t let him go home alone,” Theo said, as he took her hand and led her to sit in front of the fire. He’d poured them both a really big glass of whiskey, and he passed her a glass and raised his.
“What are we toasting?” she asked.
“That all our wishes come true,” he said.
“I can drink to that.” The glasses chinked and then she took a large gulp, and nearly choked. “Wow, is this some of Dylan’s whiskey?”
“The same. He gave everyone a bottle for Christmas.” He sipped his, and then placed it on the hearth. “You know what my wish would be right now?”
“You know, I think I can guess,” she said, placing her glass down too, and moving closer to him. “I think it would be that Dominic sleeps soundly through the night.”
“No, that is not my wish. I mean, I hope he does, but that’s not my wish.”
“Oh, really. Because if he sleeps through the night, it gives us time to do other things.”
“What kind of other things?” he asked, his hand stroking her cheek, as she pushed him down onto his back, and then straddled his thighs.
“The kind of things we would do in bed, if you hadn’t let Dominic have it.” She leaned over him and kissed his neck.
“I guess we are going to have to improvise,” Theo said.
“I’m good at improvisation,” she said, kissing him, while her hand undid his belt. She had to scoot back a little to tug his jeans down off his hips, but finally she freed his cock, and ran her hand up and down it. Thrusting his tongue into her mouth, he mimicked the rhythm, and she longed to feel him inside her, probing her deeply.
With a groan, Theo wrapped his arm around her waist and shifted their positions, so that Zara lay beneath him. “I think it’s time I helped you out of these clothes.”
“What if Dominic walks in?” she hissed, her eyes going to the door.
“Then we cover ourselves up.” He grabbed the throw off the sofa, and pulled to over them, like a tent, and then went to work stripping her.
She giggled as he kissed her stomach, his hair spilling forward to tickle her skin. But she stopped laughing when he pulled her jeans down off her legs, and then off her feet, and spread her thighs wide.
Theo dipped his head down, and kissed her inner thighs, working his way up until he reached the center of her need. He didn’t stop. Sucking her clit, he pushed his tongue and licked her there, making her breath hiss and her back arch. Stroking her stomach, he moved his hand down to join his mouth, using them in tandem to probe her, stretch her, and finally make her come.
In and out his fingers worked, while he lavished attention on her
clit with his mouth. She moaned, and then remembered Dominic asleep upstairs and bit her lower lip to keep quiet, her fingers gripping the throw and pulling it down tighter over their bodies.
However, as he worked to bring her to a shuddering climax, she couldn’t keep it in. Whimpering, she arched her back and offered herself to him, wanting him to make her come. Reaching the point of no return, she plunged her hands into his hair and tried to drag him away, but he continued, licking, kissing, probing, until finally, she exploded.
“Where did you learn to do that with your mouth?” she asked.
Theo kissed his way up her body and then said, “That’s a trade secret.”
She giggled. “How many kinds of secrets do you have?”
“Plenty.” He lay by her side, smoothing her hair back off her face. “But they are all little secrets. If you want me to tell you everything, bare my soul to you, then ask away.”
She stroked his cheek and ran her thumb over his lips, before leaning forward and kissing him lightly. “I like a man of mystery. But if there’s ever anything big, that I should know, please tell me. If ever there’s a problem with Dominic, or one of the other boys, let me be the one you come to. I mean I know you have Dylan, but I’m here for you.”
“I know.”
He moved to slip between her thighs, his fingers sliding inside her sex. She gasped, and when he asked, “Are you sure?” there was only one reply she could give.
“I’ve never been so sure. I may have only just met you, Theo, but today you showed me exactly what kind of man you are, and that is a man I want. In my bed, and in my life.”
“Or on the floor,” he said. “Do you need a cushion?”
She giggled. “At a time like this, you want to know if I need a cushion?”
“I want my mate to be comfortable when I claim her.” He said it with a straight face, but couldn’t hold it. “Sorry. I don’t want to hurt you. Things might get a little rough.”
“Maybe I like rough,” she whispered in his ear.
Theo guided himself into her, her slick sex tight around him. He stretched her slowly, inching his way inside her. “I want to take it slow. For now.”
“Your wish is my command,” she said sweetly.
“You are my wish,” he said, lunging forward, making her gasp. “I changed my mind.”
Zara dug her nails into his back as he pulled out and then impaled her completely again. In and out he thrust, his rhythm slow, but growing faster as the tension in his body rose.
Theo kissed her mouth, then arched his back, lowering his head to kiss her breasts, nipping the soft flesh, and then sucking her nipple into his mouth. It drove her insane, the feel of his tongue circling her taut bud, while his hips circled in the same motion to stretch her inner walls.
Her orgasm came fast and hard, as did Theo. He cried out, his cock spurting deep within her, filling her with his seed. All thoughts of precautions were swept from her head. If they made a child together, they would become a family; he would be the stay-at-home dad, or she would give up her career. Some way they would make it work, because as she lay in his arms, she knew this was where she was supposed to be.
She knew that she had wished upon a star, and got the bear of her dreams.
Chapter Eighteen – Theo
“Merry Christmas,” Theo said, breathing in her scent, and then kissing her shoulder as she opened her eyes.
“Merry Christmas,” Zara said in return, turning over to face him. “I wish I’d had time to get you a gift.”
“I don’t need gifts, I have all I need right here.” He kissed her tenderly, a stirring in his groin telling him there was one gift she could give him that didn’t need to be wrapped.
“I keep thinking I’m going to wake up and find I have to work, because it’s Christmas Day and this has all been a dream.”
He stroked her cheek, and then moved his hand lower, to stroke the curve of her breast. “Want me to pinch you?” he asked, his fingers tweaking her nipple. “So that you know you are awake and I’m real.”
“My hero,” she said, gasping when he bent his head and sucked her nipple into his mouth. She fisted his hair, holding his head in place while he tortured her with his tongue. “I think you are doing a wonderful job of making me believe it’s true.”
“But a little more magic from my fingers will make you know for sure.” He stroked her inner thigh, and she eased her knees apart to give him access. He smiled. “You are so wet.”
“That’s because you know exactly how to turn me on,” she said.
“You mean, like this?” He pushed two fingers inside her, probing her inner walls skillfully until she whimpered against his ear, making his cock harden and his blood quicken.
In one fluid movement, he turned her on to her back and moved between her thighs, guiding himself into her sex. Deeper and deeper he pushed, and Zara tilted her body to take him completely.
He sighed with contentment. What a way to start a day, balls deep inside his mate. The fact this was Christmas Day made it all the sweeter. Slowly, he began to move, in and out. Pulling almost completely out of her before sliding back in, Theo made love to her in a leisurely rhythm, as if they had all the time in the world, which they did. They were mates, born to be together, and now they had found each other, never to part.
Zara stroked his back, her nails digging into his flesh as she spurred him on, urging him to take her, and he rose to the challenge. Placing his right hand under her left knee he angled her body so that he could thrust deeper inside her. Moving his hips in a circular motion, he stretched her, his cock grazing her inner walls as he increased the tempo of their lovemaking.
Zara cried out, her voice breathy, as her climax approached, a sound that excited him. Theo wanted her to come, wanted her to lose control at his hands. He wanted to take her to the brink of pleasure and let her go. In and out, harder, faster, his own orgasm rushing towards him, and then he exploded, filling her with his seed.
As she came, holding him close, her teeth nipping his neck as she tried to stop herself crying out, he realized that the best Christmas gift he could wish for, was for their lovemaking to create a child. It would mean that this time next year, they would be sitting around the Christmas tree with a baby, opening presents and looking forward to a day of family fun.
He jerked into her, holding her close as he came, kissing her, telling her she was his world, as the tension left her body and she rested in his arms. Completely spent, and completely happy, they lay together as the winter sun filled the room.
The sound of Dominic stirring upstairs made them move; otherwise they might have stayed where they were in front of the dead fire, with only each other for warmth. That would have been enough for Theo, even on this special day.
“I need to get dressed,” Zara said, and they began to search for their clothes, trading items as they were found, until both of them were dressed and the throw was back on the sofa where it belonged.
“I’ll get a pot of coffee on,” Theo said, and went to the kitchen, while Zara used the bathroom to freshen up. He whistled as he worked, and once the coffeepot was set to brew their coffee, he went back to the sitting room and began to build the fire back up.
It was blazing happily when Dominic came downstairs, looking crumpled and in need of food.
“Morning,” Theo said. “Did you sleep?”
“Yes, thanks. You didn’t have to give up your bed for me.” Dominic yawned and came to sit on the sofa.
“You needed it more than me,” Theo said. “Coffee, and then I’ll cook breakfast, before we go over to Dylan’s.”
“Are you sure he’s still going to want me there, after yesterday?” Dominic asked. “I can go back to my place. I don’t need a babysitter, if he doesn’t want me there.”
“He wants you there. Don’t worry, it’s all ironed out, and he is the king of second chances. I’m not sure about third chances, but you don’t intend to screw up again. Do you?”
“N
o. You were right, the best thing I can do is work hard for when Robert leaves the foster home, then we can be together again.” Dominic looked forlorn. “It’s still so many years away.”
“I know, but don’t worry, things may change and if not, then you just keep working toward that goal.”
“What if he doesn’t want me in his life?” Dominic asked.
“I’m sure he will.” Theo got up. “Now, it’s Christmas. We are the no-gift house, I’m afraid, but I can promise you good coffee and a big breakfast.”
Theo went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast, which they all sat and ate at his small kitchen table.
“You can cook,” Zara said as she leaned back in her chair. “I’m worried I won’t be able to eat Christmas lunch at Dylan’s, I’m too stuffed.”
“And that was what I call a small breakfast,” Dylan said. “Zara doesn’t have the appetite of a bear, does she, Dominic?”
“No. I could eat another plateful,” Dominic said.
“I should have been born a shifter,” Zara said, and got up to help with the dishes.
“I like you just the way you are,” Theo said, putting his arm around her and pulling her close.
“Now, that is enough to put me off my food,” Dominic said, joking.
Theo grinned, glad the boy had his sense of humor back. “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.”
“I don’t want a mate. But I guess when I have a mate, I won’t have any choice.”
“Wow, you make it sound like a disease,” Theo said.
“Isn’t it?” Zara asked.
“No, it’s more like the sweetest kind of addiction.” He let her go and they quickly washed up, while Dominic went to stoke the fire.
“He seems a lot happier today,” Zara said.
“Yes, I think he finally sees he has a family here, that we will take care of him, and just because he screwed up, it’s not the end of his life in Bear Bluff.” As he put the last of the dishes away, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he read the text.
“Everything OK?” Zara asked, seeing his face as he replied.
“Yes. Well, change of plans, we might not be eating Christmas lunch until later.”
Undercover Eagle Page 20
