A moment later, she was in the kitchen, where Adrien was putting away some food that he had brought with freezing with a jar of pickles in hand as he saw the picture she held. Slowly, as if reaching for a snake that could bite at any moment, he took the picture from it and stared down at its dusty image. He was silent for so long she began to think he wouldn’t say anything at all so she took a breath and asked.
“That’s you and your father, right?”
Chapter 2
Adrien stood as an old familiar panic flooded through him. The same panic that he felt whenever he thought about his father, his troubled childhood, and coming home one night to find his body as well as a mob of angry tribesmen led by none other than the bear who had been trying, and in some cases succeeding, to wreak havoc on is life. It was an uncomfortable feeling, as if he was standing on the edge of a sharp cliff and could fall over into oblivion at any moment.
“Um, yeah. It’s my dad. And me when I was a kid. Maybe...uh, maybe you should put it back where it was. I don’t want anything to happen to it,” Like the urge he felt to throw the damned thing through the window. Gently, he handed it back to Morgan, ignoring the confused look on her beautiful face and turned back to the task of putting away the little bit of food. He grasped about for anything to change the topic and it hit him.
“Hey, what do you want for dinner?” He asked her, trying to lighten the mood, and she just shrugged at the same time a giant yawn broke over her features. He hadn’t let her sleep much the night before. The thought had him grinning and he reached over pulling her close for a brief hug. “Why don’t you take a nap. The nearest store is over an hour away and I want to pick up something special.”
Morgan shook her head, about to say that she wasn’t tired when another big yawn interrupted her words. Finally, she smiled up at him.
“Okay, maybe a nap does sound kind of good. But come back quick, alright?” She sent him a sultry smile that had all his burners firing at once and he found himself considering going up stairs to lay down with her. But then she definitely wouldn’t get any rest. He forced himself to let go of her, taking a step back. It was harder than he ever could have imagined, losing that connection to her.
“I’ll be back before you know it. You get some rest.” With that Adrien left through the kitchen door, waiting just a moment to make sure she had gone up stairs and headed down a slight hill, away from the car that was parked under the overhang. He hoped she wouldn’t notice it but it was all but blocked from view from inside the cabin. He couldn’t’ help but smile as he remembered her reaction to first seeing the place. It was a lot like his own had been as a child.
This home had felt like pure magic to him, and it contained the only few good memories he had of his father. Going running through the trees as bears, just papa bear and cub. How he had taught him to fish. It all came back to him in a rush, helped along by the photo Morgan had somehow found. He knew she had wanted something else from him, but he just wasn’t ready to talk abut his past with anyone, let alone her. His mate. The woman he knew he was falling for.
As soon as Adrien cleared the hill he shrugged off his clothes, excitement already filling him as he prepared to shift. The air seemed to shimmer around him, shifting minutely as he pulled off the last of his clothing and a second later a large black bear with gleaming amber eyes stood where a man had just been. Joy filled him. He couldn’t help the shuffling dance as his fur soaked up the sunshine and he could feel the earth vibrating beneath his paws.
Everything seemed sharper, every sense so much more attuned to the natural world. The scents stronger and each one telling a story of the life that was happening around him that he so often missed as a man. It was in bear form where he and his father had truly connected. No words were needed, and honestly, most of the time words just confused things even more. Out here, with nothing but the trees and the grass and sky above, he felt whole. He felt at peace with himself, both halves of himself that had been warring more often than not of late.
His ears pricked at the sound of running water not too far away and he leapt in that direction, playing like a cub with blades of grass of the stray fallen leaf. He could still sense the bond that connected him to Morgan it fueled his happiness. He was so full of joy he thought he might burst with it.
A moment later the stream came into view and without even pausing Adrien pushed forward, the massive bear rushing straight into the water causing a splash that reached well past its banks. He swam around aimlessly for a moment, his fur insulating him from the water but even still he could tell that it was warmed by the sun.
Movement caught his sharp eyes and he stilled peering down into the water’s clear depths, his snout just a bare inch from the surface of the stream winding around him. There, just there, he saw it again and he twisted to his right, and then around again as he followed the fish’s nonsensical journey. It swam here and there for no apparent reason and if Adrien could have, he would have been grinning. The hunt was on.
It didn’t take him long to catch the first fish, and the second one was even easier, holding them in his massive jaws as he paddled back to shore with his paws. With a pang of regret, he climbed out of the water onto the shore, shaking dry and sending a spray of glistening drops into the air.
With a steady lope, he set off back towards the cabin, already missing Morgan and thinking only of seeing her again, even though he had only been gone a short time. It boggled his mind, how much she had changed him, changed his entire life, and for the better. For the first time in his life he felt like he had someone he could trust, who trusted and cared about him, and their connection continued to deepen everyday.
He stopped at the dip in the hill where he had left his clothes and began the shift back to a human. He could barely feel the change happening but he immediately spat out the fish that he still had clamped in his jaw, grimacing at the taste before laughing at himself. Within moments he was dressed, had the fish in hand and headed the short distance back towards the cabin, and more importantly, Morgan.
Adrien crept in the house softly, sure that she would still be asleep upstairs since he had only been gone just over half of an hour, but her voice startled him, making him jump.
“Hey, you’re back. That was quick,” She smiled at him, a big fluffy white robe wrapped around her body and her hair still wet from the shower. “Didn’t you say the store was over an hour away?”
Adrien shrugged, his brain whirling as he tried to come up with a good explanation. He decided to stick with the truth. Well, sort of the truth.
“Yeah, I uh, I just decided to go fishing instead. I caught these down at the stream.” He stood there for a moment, hoping she wouldn’t see through the holes in his story. Of course, she said the last thing he expected her to say.
“Fishing? That sounds like so much fun. You must be really good at it, since you caught those two so quickly,” She nodded to the fish still held in his hand. He just nodded dumbly. Good fisherman. Uh huh. Sure. “Will you teach me? I’ve always thought it would be so peaceful, to sit out by the water. Will you, Adrien?”
She smiled up at him and he could see the honest excitement in her beautiful green eyes, and then the words just popped out.
“Of course! Of course I’ll teach you.” Adrien could have groaned and mentally kicked himself. He didn’t know the first things about fishing with a pole and bait or whatever else was involved. As a bear, it was not problem, it was all instinct. Why did he have to go and open his big mouth and agree? But he knew exactly why. He looked over at Morgan who was humming happily to herself, and knew exactly why. Because he would do anything for her. Anything to make his mate happy. Even if it meant making a fool of himself. He grinned a little, at least he hadn’t said when he was going to teach her. Maybe in a few days she would forget all about it.
Chapter 3
Later that evening, Adrien stood in the kitchen staring blankly at the ingredients in front of him. It wasn’t that he didn’t know what to
do with them, it was just that with Morgan around all he could seem to do was focus on her. Focus, Adrien, focus, he told himself, but it was so much easier said than done when Morgan’s unique spicy sweet scent kept invading his senses and driving him mad. And she wasn’t even in the room!
With a sigh, he went about getting his wayward thoughts, and body, back under control. He had never been this effected by a woman, and it rattled him a little, knowing the Morgan could do it so easily. But it was so much more than just her physical beauty, although she had plenty of that. She was smart, and funny. She didn’t back down from a challenge and when something bad happened, like the fire at the bar, she was right there by his side, ready to rebuild or do whatever it took to make things right again. She had so much fire and spirit that she was like a beacon, burning in his mind whenever he thought of her. Which was often. Adrien snorted at the understatement as he turned the heat on the frying pan and added some oil.
A moment later, he set in the fish he had caught earlier that he had cleaned and drizzled a vinaigrette over it for extra flavor. He tried to lose himself in something that he loved, because he really did love cooking. It was almost as satisfying as making a perfect cocktail, although more often than not at the bar someone ordered a beer.
The repetitive motion of chopping the vegetables he’d brought with help to distract him from his ever present desire. The rest of the meal came together pretty quickly and Adrien couldn’t help but sigh in relief. At least he hadn’t totally lost his mind.
“That smells amazing!” Morgan’s smoky voice drifted over him, making him jump and spin around just as she wrapped her arms around him. He couldn’t resist the urge to lean down and kiss her, humming slightly at the delicious taste of her mouth. Hopefully his cooking would taste just as good.
He ushered her to the table with a stern reprimand to stop distracting him that made her laugh, which distracted him all over again, before finally finishing up the meal and bringing it over on two large plates.
Luckily, the food tasted as good as it looked and all throughout dinner Morgan exclaimed about how good it was. Adrien grinned. He could get used to having her around, he thought. But she was terrible for his ego. By the end of the meal she had him feeling like a champion Michelin starred chef. But he had saved the best for last.
Adrien stared as she finished the last few bites, sinful thoughts raising like smoke in his mind as her lips wrapped around the fork and she moaned at the decadent taste. His body tightened instantly at the sight and he forced himself to look away before he did something crazy. Like sweep all the dishes to the floor, lay her back on the table and make love until neither of them could move. Get a hold of yourself, Black, he reprimanded himself as he stood.
“All done?” He asked, his voice rougher than he intended. She cast him a look through a dark fringe of lashes as she placed her hand in the one he offered.
“It really was delicious, Adrien. I knew you could cook, but you really outdid yourself this time.” She smiled at him as she said the compliment softly and he swore he actually blushed. He couldn’t believe the way this woman had him all twisted around. The simplest things she said flipped his world upside down, and she never even realized.
With a gentle tug on her hand he drew her through the cabin and outside to the back yard where a bonfire was already crackling cheerfully, sending radiant warmth out into the evening that was just starting to dim as the sun dipped below the mountain peaks on the horizon. Morgan squealed in delight before racing towards the fire with a huge grin splitting her face and anyone would have though he was giving her diamonds rather than a simple bonfire under the stars that were just starting to peak out at them.
Adrien grabbed the large blanket he had staged outside for them and spread it out beside the crackling fire. He reached his hand out again to her and she took without hesitation. All he could do was stare at her for a long moment, drinking in her beauty in the flickering firelight, the way it turned her eyes to liquid emeralds staring back at him.
“What? Do I have something in my teeth?” Morgan joked after he had been silent too long and Adrien shook his head. Way to play it smooth, he thought as he led her to the middle of the blanket and they both laid back, staring up at the immense sky stretching endlessly above them. The fading sunset painted the sky in all different shades of fiery red and magenta tinged with bright purples that faded slowly to indigo and then finally a dark, cloudless blue so deep it was nearly black.
They watched in silence as the sun finally disappeared completely and the moon rose in its place, almost full and so big and bright in the sky he could clearly see Morgan, even without the aid of the fire. The stars came out, winking at them one by one and a sense of peace settled over him that he had never felt before and held it close to him like the treasure it was.
“I want to paint this,” Morgan said suddenly, her words drifting softly into the warm night air. “I want to capture exactly this. This moment.”
Adrien looked at her sharply. “I didn’t know that you painted.” Morgan just shrugged, so he continued, “No, I’m serious. I want to know more about you.” I want to know everything about you, he just barely contained himself from saying.
“Well, I was planning on going to college for art, to be a professional, but…”
“But what?” Adrien asked after her words trailed off. She was silent for a moment more before answering.
“Things just didn’t work out that way, I guess. My parents needed help, they were getting older and now they moved but, time just passes you know?”
“You could still go back, if you want.” Adrien said quietly, gently rubbing his thumb back and forth over the soft skin of her hand that he still had held in his. He hadn’t let go since they had come out here, and he had no intention of doing so, for as long as he could help it.
“I will, one day. When I’m ready. It’s scary, making that sort of change. A big life change. But I just want more out of my life than to work at a bar.” Morgan cast him a quick sideways grin, “No offense.”
Adrien grinned back, “None taken,” But the thought struck him. “You know, I never planned on working at a bar either. It was just something that I sort of…fell into, I guess you could say.”
“What do you mean?” Morgan turned on her side to face him, propping her head up on one hand.
“When I was sixteen my father died,” Adrien paused, taking a deep breath as the bitter memories rushed back, “I never knew my mother, she died when I was still a baby, but my father was…a leader in our community. He was so focused on his position, and I guess, he just assumed that I would grow up to fill his shoes. I did too. But after he died, that dream did to, right along with him,” Adrien closed his eyes, seeing it as if it had just happened yesterday rather than a lifetime ago. “I ran away, to be honest. Or was driven away. But either way, I left and I ended up finding Calese. The original owner of the Kingstown bar. She saved my life when she gave me that first job, just sweeping the floors even though I was too young to even work there at the time,” He shook his head, and felt his chest tighten as tenderness swept through him when Morgan squeezed his hand, silently offering comfort. “She left the bar to me, in her will. And I felt like I had a duty, to repay her, you know?”
Adrien grew silent, lost in thoughts and memories that left a bad taste in his mouth. He couldn’t help but wonder how different things would be if his father had lived, if he had come of age within the tribe, had never been force away. Maybe he would be leading the Long Pines tribe instead of Harris, who seemed to be doing everything in his power to run the tribe into the ground.
He closed his eye for a moment, bracing himself against the pain that always come from speaking of his father, of the life he had lost so abruptly, and gasped in surprise as he felt Morgan’s lips touch his in a feather light kiss. Joy and happiness eclipsed everything else, leaving only enough room for her. Only her. Only his mate, and the woman he knew he was falling in love with.
Chapter 4
The day dawned bright and early, the sun was shining cheerfully outside the window, but Adrien was not feeling it. It was fishing day. Morgan had, unfortunately, not forgotten about his agreement to teach her, and he still had no idea in hell how to do it. He crept into the kitchen, trying to be as quiet as possible in the hopes that she would stay asleep. He had purposely not wakened her when he had snuck out of bed that morning. He still harbored the hope that he could tell her it was too late to start and that perhaps, just maybe, they should go back to bed and make much better use of the day.
He grinned at the thoughts, his body already stirring as he turned to see Morgan dressed and fresh face and obviously ready for a day of outdoor activity. It was not exactly the type of activity he had just been thinking about but a smile cracked across his expression in any case.
“What are those?” Adrien gestured towards what looked to be bright red rain boots scattered with lady bugs.
“These are my fishing boots.” Morgan said, knocking the heels together and looking way too pleased with herself.
“Lady bugs, huh?” He teased, drawing her close for an embrace because he couldn’t do anything else but hold her.
“I happen to like lady bugs. They’re good luck, you know.” She said, leaning back just enough to look up at him.
“If you say so.” His voice and expression were dubious but she didn’t even blink as she trundled outside in the oversized rubber boots. He asked her to wait while he dug two old rods out from the shed behind the cabin. He had hoped they would be broken or at least rusted beyond use but no such luck. He was stuck trying to teach her how to fish. He rolled his eyes. How the hell did he get himself into these situations?
He finally untangled the rods from the various pails and old wheel barrel that had been stashed away in there for god knows how long and turned around victorious only to find Morgan staring at him, her hand over her mouth as if she was holding back laughter. At him. Definitely at him.
BAD BOY ROMANCE: DIESEL: Contemporary Bad Boy Biker MC Romance (Box Set) (New Adult Sports Romance Short Stories Boxset) Page 60
