“Thanks, mom.”
“You’re welcome. But please tell me what’s going on as soon as you can, ok?”
“I will,” Melissa promised, and they ended the call.
Melissa’s hand trembled a little as she dialed Miss Henson’s number. It took a long time before a soft, quavery voice answered. Melissa realized that her old math teacher was now a really old lady. She’d seemed ancient at the time, although all adults did when you were a teen. But she was likely in her mid-eighties now.
“Hello, Miss Henson,” she said. “My name is Melissa Ericson. You used to be my math teacher. I’m not sure if you remember me?” Miss Henson made a polite sound of uncertainty. “I was blonde, short, and kind of chubby. The other kids used to tease me quite a lot.”
“I’m sorry, dear. I’ve just taught so many children over the years. It’s hard to remember,” the old lady said. Melissa wasn’t surprised; she had never excelled at math, or been one of the disruptive kids that teachers remembered.
“It’s ok, don’t worry. But maybe you remember James Thomson? He was tall and well built, and he always used to wear a leather jacket. He wasn’t in the school for very long though.”
“Oh, yes, James. I do remember that young man,” Miss Henson said, her voice brightening. “He was the most talented mathematician I ever had the pleasure of teaching. He left one day, quite suddenly though, and I never saw him again. I was very sorry to lose him.” Melissa’s heart began to beat fast.
“Miss Henson, I know it’s been a really long time, but can you think back to the day that he left?”
“Why, yes I can dear. I remember it well, as a matter of fact. I was teaching my standard lesson to the class. I’d left them with some problems to solve and I was sitting next to James, helping him with advanced calculus, when he suddenly sat up straight and said ‘what’s that noise?’ I couldn’t hear any noise, and I told him so. Well, the old don’t hear as well as the young. ‘There’s someone screaming – a girl,’ he said. Then he leapt out of his seat and hightailed it out of the room, as if someone had lit a fire underneath him. And that was it. I never saw him again. It was the same day that poor little girl was attacked. Everyone blamed James for the attack, but I didn’t think it was his fault. I tried to tell the police that he’d been in my math class at the time of the attack, and that he’d left suddenly. It was as if he knew something was going on. But no-one wanted to listen to me. I was dismissed as a silly old lady. It never felt right that those two kids – what were their names? – ended up being hailed as heroes, while poor James was cast out. But I guess these things happen from time to time.”
“Thank you, Miss Henson, you’ve been a huge help,” Melissa said.
“Of course, dear, but I don’t think I did anything?” the old lady said.
“You’ve done more than you could ever realize,” Melissa replied.
When she’d ended the call, Melissa lolled back in the car seat with her eyes closed. A single tear ran down her cheek. This was the proof she needed. Poor Harley. He’d saved her and he’d ended up suffering for it. He’d been scapegoated by everybody. Even her own parents had tacitly participated in it, convincing themselves that their daughter had been harmed by something outside of their community.
Melissa got out of the car and walked back to the café as fast as she could without slipping in the snow. Will he still be there? She didn’t even know how long she’d been gone. Was it 20 minutes, or more like 45? Her heart was hammering in her chest. She arrived at the café and hauled the door open. He was there. Exactly as she’d left him. He looked at her searchingly and she smiled at him, before striding across the room and joining him. She launched into the conversation without any preliminaries.
“I spoke to our old math teacher,” she said. “She remembers you well. And she remembers the day you told her that you could hear someone screaming and ran out of her lesson. She was sure that you didn’t attack me, and she told the police at the time, but no-one listened to her.” Harley’s face lit up.
“That’s great!” he exclaimed. “Does this mean that – ?”
“Yes,” Melissa interrupted, unable to contain herself. “It was the final bit of proof that I needed.” His hand was resting on the tabletop, and she laid her hand on top of it. “Harley, I owe you so much for protecting me that day.”
“Anytime, Melissa,” he said in a low voice. “I’m always here to protect you. I hope you know that.”
“I do,” she said. His face was close, and her gaze fluttered down to his lips. They were so full and kissable. He must have had the same idea, as he inched closer to her. Just then, the waitress came over with a menu. They jerked away from each other.
“I’ll have another mochaccino,” Melissa said, flustered.
“Make that two,” Harley said. The waitress took the menu back and walked away.
“I thought you were so pretty in high school, but you’ve grown up even more beautiful,” he said, running his eyes over her face as if he was trying to memorize every tiny detail of her features. “Your eyes are so big, and as blue as cornflowers, and you’ve got this amazing porcelain skin.”
“Oh, it goes really freckly in summer,” she said, unused to receiving compliments from guys.
“I love freckles!” he said with a laugh. “I remember passing you in the hallway at school one day, and noticing that you had a scatter of them across your nose.” Melissa laughed too.
“I would have been mortified if I’d known you’d seen them. I usually put cover-up on them.”
“You should never do that. They’re part of your beauty.”
Two steaming cups arrived on the table. As they leaned forward to blow on the hot liquid, their knees brushed, and Melissa felt a surge of heat that turned into a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. He was so attractive, and she was already getting to like him a lot. He had this strong, but gentle way about him. It was like he knew who he was, so he didn’t need to act all macho. He was so different from her initial impressions of him at high school.
“At school you were like this cool, bad boy,” she blurted out. “It never would’ve occurred to me that we’d have anything in common.” He laughed.
“You mean because I used to ride a motorbike and I smoked roll-ups?” he said.
“And the leather jacket, and the hair. And the fact that you didn’t try to ingratiate yourself with the popular kids.”
“I think it was just a werewolf thing. I guess I didn’t really stand out among my peers. But I got a really big shock when I started at the school, I can tell you!”
“I can imagine. There were some nice kids there, but plenty whose families went way back, and it was all about fitting in to that whole farmer’s kid ideal.”
“And what do your parents do?” he asked, with a playful smile.
“They’re farmers too. But not that kind. They’re pretty small league. They get on with the powerful families for the sake of keeping the peace, but it’s not their thing.”
“Did you leave the town because of what happened?” he asked.
“Yes. I never really got over it. I wanted to move on, and live among people who didn’t know that something had happened to me. I was also really sick of knowing that someone, or several people, knew exactly what had happened, and I didn’t.”
“And then you moved to Hope Valley and met your ex-husband?” She nodded.
“But that wasn’t to be. For many reasons. I think I’m only just beginning to understand how incompatible we were. I thought it was enough to like your partner, and think that they’re a decent person. But now I know that’s only the beginning.”
“You’re absolutely right,” he said with a smile. “And having a mate is so, so much more than having a partner or a husband.”
“It is?” she breathed, intrigued.
“It’s the most intense connection that can exist between two beings. It means eternal love and protection, and having your every need catered for. It also means an inten
se physical bond, and endless passion.” As he spoke the last words, threads of amber flooded his irises. Melissa concealed a shiver as her nipples hardened beneath the lace of her bra. She suddenly felt like she’d do anything, go anywhere, just to be with him. She wanted to be his mate. It was something she knew, deep in her soul.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” he asked.
“I have no plans at all,” she said.
“I was really hoping you’d say that. I’d like to take you out on a date, if you’d let me?” She broke into a grin.
“I would love that,” she said. His face became a picture of delight.
“How do you feel about ice skating? I’ve heard that they’ve just opened the outdoor rink at the edge of town,” he asked.
“I haven’t been for years,” she said. “And I’m really not very good, but I’d love to try it!”
“Great. And don’t worry – I’m pretty experienced, so I’ll be able to hold you up.”
“Ok, that works,” she said, her calm tone concealing the mixture of excitement and nerves that was bubbling up inside her.
They lingered over their drinks, chatting about their lives – about their friends and jobs. Melissa felt so drawn to Harley that even the air between them seemed to be charged with anticipation and desire.
When they’d reached the final dregs of their mochaccinos, they were ready to go. They left the café and crossed the square, heading in the opposite direction from Melissa’s car. It was a perfect winter’s day. The thermometer was down low, but the air was still, so it didn’t feel cold. Their breath became white clouds in the air, mingling together.
Chapter Five
A ten-minute walk brought them to the lake on the edge of town that froze solid in winter and became an ice rink for a couple of months every year. It was a beautiful location out in nature, surrounded by fir trees. There was a little wood cabin that hired out the skates, and a stall selling hot drinks and snacks, and nothing else. The ice was full of happy-looking people, their cheeks glowing from exertion.
“Your feet are tiny!” Harley said, as Melissa told the cashier her size.
“Is that weird?” she asked.
“No, it’s very cute,” he replied, squeezing her shoulder. Even through her thick coat and sweater, his fingers had an electrifying effect on her skin.
As they headed out onto the ice, she realized that it had been a very long time since she’d skated, and there was no rail to cling onto, like in the municipal rink in her hometown. Harley saw her staggering and held out his hand.
“Here,” he said, and she took it gratefully. They began to move slowly, at the edge of the rink, away from the 12 year-olds who were zipping around fearlessly.
“Things were a lot easier when we had no sense of danger, weren’t they?” Harley said, as a young kid pulled a crazy manoeuver that almost sent him speeding right off the rink and into the bushes.
“They were,” Melissa replied with a laugh.
“Are you getting warm yet?” he said.
“I am actually. I think I need to undo my coat.” Harley eased them to a stop at the edge of the rink, and she took her left glove off to undo the buttons and zipper on her coat. When she reached for his hand again, she discovered that he’d removed his right glove too, and she was now touching his bare skin. Tingles ran from her fingers, along her arm, and all the way to her heart.
They moved off again, and it felt incredible to be skating hand in hand with this insanely handsome man, who’d wanted to be with her from so long ago. She was becoming more confident on the ice with every lap they made. After a while, Harley let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist instead. He was so much taller than she was, but somehow, they fit together. Her head was level with the crook of his arm, and she wondered how it would feel to rest her head on his chest. She felt so safe and protected by him.
They skated for a long time, dreamily, just happy being in each other’s company, savoring the moment that could have so easily been denied them. The sky darkened a little, the sun already preparing to set on a mid-winter afternoon. A question had been playing on Melissa’s mind from time to time, and eventually she voiced it.
“Would you have spoken to me one day if that thing hadn’t happened, and you’d got to stay in school?” she said. Harley exhaled a long breath of white fog. For a moment there was no sound apart from the swish of their skates on the ice.
“I’m not sure,” he said at last. “My parents warned me that human girls were strictly off limits, and that fraternizing with them would result in the destruction of our species. If word ever got out about our true nature, that would be it. I probably would have preserved you in my memory, like a diamond in a glass case. Remembered forever as the one that got away.”
“Well, thank goodness for Shiftr,” Melissa said.
“Thank goodness, indeed,” Harley said. They came to a natural stop beneath the overhanging branch of a fir tree. Melissa looked up at him. His eyes were soft, but carried a hint of suppressed need. He took both her hands in his, bent down until his head was level with hers, and drew her into a long, tender kiss. His lips were cold on the outside, but wonderfully warm on the inside. She parted her lips, wanting to feel more of that warmth, and the tip of his tongue slid into her mouth, dancing around hers. He wrapped his arms around her as he began to kiss her more and more deeply. Waves of euphoria ran through her body, and then something else – a heat that sparked between her thighs, and spread slowly into her belly. Harley drew back from their kiss, and touched her jaw with an icy-cold fingertip.
“Melissa,” he whispered. “You can’t imagine how many times I’ve dreamed of this moment. Ever since I was 15. And being out here in the snow only makes it more romantic.”
“It’s really special for me too, Harley,” Melissa breathed. As if on cue, it began to snow. Snowflakes landed on their hair and on their eyelashes, and they looked up at the pale gray sky, watching one snowflake after another appear from nowhere and come quickly into focus. “Are they coming faster, or am I just getting dizzy?” she said.
“No, they’re definitely getting closer together,” Harley said. Within a minute, their shoulders were covered with snow. “Actually, maybe we should go. I wouldn’t be surprised if this turned into a snow storm.”
“Yes, let’s go,” Melissa said, noting that the sky was now dark gray.
They skated back to the hut, and lined up to return their skates. Harley took off his coat and held it over their heads. Melissa protested, but he refused to put it back on. It took a long time to get their shoes back, because everyone else on the ice had had the same idea. By the time they were walking back into town, the snow had become sleet – wet and freezing, and the wind was starting to whip up.
“I was thinking we should go out for dinner tonight?” Harley said, speaking close to her ear to be heard above the sound of the wind.
“I would love that,” she replied, with a grin. “I’ll just need to go home and change first though.”
“Of course. Where’s your car? I’ll walk you to it.”
“Thank you,” she said, too cold and wet to think of refusing. “It’s over this way.”
They stood by the driver’s door, and kissed once more, cocooned under Harley’s coat.
“You could come to my place and wait while I change. That’s if you don’t need to get changed?” she offered. Harley shrugged.
“Hey, I’m a guy. I wear pretty much the same stuff all the time. I’d love to come back with you.”
“You can put your stuff on the heater too. It gets really hot, so it’ll probably dry in minutes anyway.”
“Sounds great,” he said, sounding like he didn’t much care whether he was walking around in wet clothes. They got into the car and shivered until the heater made the car warm and toasty.
The drive didn’t take long, and Melissa was soon showing Harley into her apartment.
“Nice place,” he said, looking around appreci
atively.
“It’s not much,” she said. “But it’s home.”
“No, it’s really cozy. I can see you’ve put your personal stamp on it,” he said, gazing at the artistically-shot photos of friends and family that adorned the walls.
“Well thanks for saying so,” she replied, suddenly feeling shy. There was always something surreal about having someone you were just getting to know in your personal space, and Harley was such a large presence in the room. It had also been a really long time since she’d had a guy in her place.
As she lit the gas fire in the living room, her eyes slid around the room, checking that she hadn’t left anything embarrassing lying around.
“I think I’ve got something you can wear while your clothes are drying,” she said. Before he had a chance to reply, she ran to the bathroom and did a quick sweep in there too, and the same with the kitchen. There was a plus-size clothing catalog on the counter, which she hid in the back of a drawer.
Then she went into the bedroom to look for something for Harley to wear. There was nothing man-sized. At all. Eventually, she picked out a sheet. When she handed it to him, they both burst out laughing.
“The last time I wore a sheet, I was going to a toga party in college!” he said.
“Oh God, we had a couple of those too,” she said. “They were chaos! Ok, you can put your clothes on the heater back there. I’ll try to be quick, but I just need to dry my hair, or it’ll stay wet all night.”
“Take your time, please,” Harley said.
Melissa got ready as quickly as she could. She dried her hair and touched up her make-up, then she hesitated over her clothes for the second time that day. Looking through her closet, she lingered on a cherry-red jersey dress. It had cost a fortune, but it had featured in several style blogs as the most flattering option for short, curvy girls. And it had been an amazing investment. It clung to her curves just right, while floating over the bits she didn’t like. It always felt a little racy with its low neckline, but she felt like she wanted to look sexy tonight. The things Harley had said to her had given her a huge confidence boost, and she wanted to show herself at her best. She swapped her cotton underwear for a matching black lace set, put on pantyhose, then slipped the dress over her head, stepped into a pair of black patent heels and surveyed her reflection in the mirror. She actually looked pretty good. And it was very rare that she thought that about herself. She also put on a necklace made of black glass beads, and she was ready to go. Wobbling a little from nerves, she walked back into the living room.
Bear My Perfect Gift: BBW Winter Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (Christmas Bear Shifter Romance Book 3) Page 16
