Pregnant.
She was going to have a baby.
Oh boy.
Chapter Four
Gray had seen a lot of strange things in his life, but he’d never asked a woman out and then had her puke on him. Actually, he could only think of a time or two when he’d been turned down at all. Those deviations from the norm had only occurred because both women had been involved with other people. Thanks to his natural good looks, animal magnetism, and the family fortune, he rarely lacked for companionship. Women tended to gravitate toward him.
So of course his own mate would find him repulsive. Leave it to fate to throw a curve ball at his love life right when it was more important than ever. For the first time in his life, he was interested in a woman who didn’t seem to be impressed by his last name or his money. Mara was a mystery. She’d definitely found him attractive the night they were together at the club, but then she’d gone out of her way to avoid him for weeks afterward. Every time he’d caught sight of her out somewhere and tried to approach her, she’d vanished like mist.
Even with the disastrous ending, today had been progress in a weird sort of way. At least he’d gotten to talk to her.
After she’d taken off and he’d found the nearest bathroom to clean himself up, he’d reconsidered how bad she must have felt in order to literally vomit in the middle of the store. The poor woman was sick as a dog and shopping for essentials and there he’d been, trying to score a date with her. His lack of manners probably had his poor mama rolling over in her grave. She’d taught him better that, but being around Mara scrambled his brain.
He figured the least he could do was buy the groceries she’d left behind and take her some comfort food too since she probably wouldn’t feel up to fixing something for herself under the circumstances. If it just so happened that the beast inside of him fully supported the notion of providing sustenance for his future mate, then all the better.
Finding her address wasn’t that big of a deal. Although he couldn’t find her address online, there was only one Adamsen listed in the entire town. Worst case scenario, he figured he’d end up visiting one of her relatives and charming or bribing her location out of them. He’d do whatever it took to find her.
After he finished the errands that brought him to town in the first place, he swung by the diner and bought some chicken soup and biscuits. At the last minute, he made one final pit stop for flowers. He reached his destination fairly quickly and carried his bounty up to the door. He rang the doorbell and then stood and waited, tapping his foot the whole while. It took him a moment to realize what he was feeling wasn’t just anticipation or impatience. He was actually nervous about seeing her. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been intimidated by a woman, but then Mara wasn’t just any woman. Every instinct he possessed screamed that she was his intended mate. There was no woman more important. He could only hope she would hear him out and give him an opportunity to prove how good they could be together.
The door opened, revealing the same blond woman who’d been with Mara at the club the night they met. A slow smile spread across her face as her gaze landed on him. “Well hello stranger.”
“Hey. Is Mara around?”
“You bet your britches, sugar.” She looked back over her shoulder. “Mara! You’re never going to believe who’s on your porch.”
“Who is it?” Mara skidded to a stop behind the blond. “Oh. It’s you. What are you doing here, Gray?”
“I wanted to check up on you and make sure you’re all right.” He held up the grocery bag. “I brought your groceries.”
“Aw! Wasn’t that sweet,” the blond cooed. She stepped back and opened the door wider. “Come on in, handsome. I was just leaving.”
“Thanks.” Gray strode forward before Mara could contradict the invitation. He could tell by the pinched look on her face that she wasn’t thrilled to see him. He moved toward her and held out the bouquet of multicolored lilies. “I got these for you. I thought you might like them.”
Mara took the bundle of flowers and lifted them up to her nose. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”
“Anytime.” He glanced around the interior of the home, taking in the abundance of flowery prints on the curtains and furniture and crocheted arm covers on the couch and chair, and thought the décor was better suited to a senior citizen than someone in their early twenties. The home had to belong to a parent or guardian.
“I’ll check back in with you before I leave for school, Mara,” the blond said. “Good luck.” She walked out and closed the screen door behind her.
“You better,” Mara called after her friend.
“So,” Gray said. “Where do you want your things?”
Mara glanced at the overstuffed bag. “Oh. Well, I guess you can sit that down on the kitchen table. I’ll show you where it is.” She turned and walked away.
Gray’s gaze dipped to her sexy, curvaceous bottom for a split second before he realized he was supposed to be following her. He hustled to catch up and studiously ignored the way his palms itched to reach out and touch her. The bear locked away inside him shifted restlessly, desperate to make closer contact with their mate.
He set the bag from the diner and the one containing her groceries down on the table. “There’s warm soup and biscuits in the paper bag. I figured those would be easy on your stomach.”
She took the cellophane off the flowers, carried them over to the sink, and arranged them in a tall, clear vase. “Thank you, Gray. You didn’t have to bring me food, but I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. I figured it was the least I could do for a friend.”
Mara frowned. “Are we friends?”
“I’d like to be.”
She carried the flower arrangement over and set it in the middle of the table. “Just friends?”
Gray swallowed. He was hoping for a more subtle lead in than that, but he’d have to play the hand he’d been dealt. He narrowed the distance between them until they were within arms reach of each other, so close he could make out the different striations of color in her eyes and smell the pheromones pouring from her skin. There was something different about her scent but he couldn’t focus on the cause while she was standing in front of him seeking answers. “No. To be honest, I’d like to be a lot more than friends with you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself. “What do you want from me?”
“Everything.”
Her face paled. “What does that even mean?”
“Can we go sit down and talk about it?” Gray didn’t like how white she’d grown. “You should probably be resting anyway if you aren’t feeling well.”
“Yeah. Okay.” She took a deep breath and blew it out. “Let’s go sit in the living room. There’s something I should probably talk to you about anyway.”
That sounded somewhat ominous, but he wasn’t easy to scare off, particularly when something important was at stake. He went back into the living room with her and sat beside her on the sofa. “I’ll go first, if it’s all right with you.”
“Go ahead.”
“You’re aware of who and what I am, right?”
Mara nodded. “I know you’re a shifter, if that’s what you’re asking.”
That was exactly what he wanted to know. “Good. How much do you know about my kind?”
“The basics, I guess. Same as everyone else.”
“Okay. Have you ever heard the term mates?”
“You mean like soulmates?”
“Sort of, except for us mates are more than a myth.” He turned to face her, wanting to look her in the eye as he explained what she meant to him. “We spend our lives searching for the one special person fate created just for us. Most of us are never fortunate enough to find that person.” He paused to take a deep breath for strength.
Her brow wrinkled. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Isn’t it obvious? You’re my mate.”
Her eyes widened. “I am?”
He nodded and smiled. “You are.”
“I…” Mara’s mouth opened and closed. “I don’t know what to say. That was the last thing I expected to hear from you.”
“I can imagine. I know what people say about me around here.” Most people thought of him as little more than a big swinging dick with a fat wallet. Normally, he was okay with that. It meant people underestimated him, giving him the upper hand in most situations. However, this was one time when he would have appreciated being seen as an educated, responsible man rather than some easy-going playboy.
“That’s just it,” she said. “We don’t know each other at all. How could you possibly know if we’re compatible?”
“Instinct. I felt drawn to you the second I saw you. As soon as we touched, I knew you were the one for me. That’s why I bit you. I lost control over the beast inside me for a split second and tried to claim you without your permission. If I’d shifted enough to drop my fangs, we’d already be mated.”
“I think you did enough damage that night,” she murmured under her voice.
Despite the whisper, he heard her clear as bell. “Want to tell me what you mean by that?”
She shook her head and looked away.
He leaned forward, concern stabbing him the guts. “Are you all right? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No.” She looked up at him. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Although her pulse remained steady, he could tell she was holding something back. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Excuse me for a second, okay? I’ll be right back.” She stood and walked away.
Gray watched her go with a building sense of dread. Something was definitely wrong. He wracked his brain trying to figure out what the problem might be, but came up blank. He didn’t think her distress was due to their mate status.
She came back into the room in two shakes of a bear’s tail, stopped in front of him, and held out a white plastic stick that smelled strongly of urine. “Here.”
He accepted her offering and looked down. A single word jumped out at him in crystal clarity. His face went cold and his stomach knotted. He gazed up at her in wonder. “You’re pregnant?”
She stared down at him, her eyes large and liquid. “I just found out.”
“That makes two of us.” He dropped his gaze to her gentle rounded stomach and tried to imagine what she’d look like carrying his child. The picture was easier to imagine than he expected. He slid off the couch onto his knees and reached for her belly. Right before his hand touched down on her shirt, he realized what he was doing and looked up at her. “Is this all right?”
She nodded. “Go ahead.”
He rested his palm over her stomach, feeling the softness of her shirt and the warmth of her flesh beneath. His child was in there, slumbering safe inside her womb. Emotion swelled inside him and crashed against his chest. He closed his eyes and swallowed, so overwhelmed and thankful to fate for sending him Mara.
“So,” Mara said. “You’re taking this a lot better than I expected.”
“What did you expect to happen?”
“I haven’t had much time to think about it. I just didn’t figure you’d be so accepting.”
“I’ve always wanted a family.”
“Me too. Someday. Not now.”
He frowned. “You aren’t happy about the baby?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know how I feel. I haven’t had a lot of time to process yet.”
“How long have you known?”
“About an hour longer than you.” She backed up and sat down on the couch.
Gray joined her, sitting so close their thighs touched. “You aren’t thinking of ending the pregnancy, are you?”
A silent moment passed. “No. I want the baby. I have no idea what I’m doing and I’m about as far away from ready to be a parent as it gets, but I have nine months to figure it out.”
He rested his hand over hers where it rested on her thigh and gave it a squeeze. “We have nine months to figure it out.”
She turned her hand over and laced their fingers together. “All right. We’ll figure it out together.”
He smiled. “Damn right we will.”
Chapter Five
Over the next few weeks, Gray came over often, bringing her little trinkets and food, more often than not. He went with her to her first doctor appointment and then her second, where they got to hear the baby’s heartbeat. Her resistance to him melted a little more every day, but it thawed completely when she’d looked up at him through tear-filled eyes at the joyful noise of their baby’s heartbeat and noticed his eyes weren’t any dryer than hers. Despite his playboy reputation, the man had a soft side no one talked about. She was pleased and flattered he felt comfortable enough with her to share that side of his personality.
When she arrived home later that night, she called Sara—who’d left town with her boyfriend to return to the little college town they called home. After relaying the latest updates on the baby and her relationship with Gray, they gossiped for over an hour before Mara pled exhaustion and ended the call. As much as she enjoyed talking to Sara, she’d much rather do it in person. Even though it had only been a few weeks since Sara left, Mara already missed hanging out with her friend.
Her stomach gurgled, reminding her of how little she’d eaten that day. Her appetite sucked, but that didn’t mean she could ignore her body’s needs now that she was eating for two. She caressed her stomach, imagining the tiny life growing inside her, and forced herself up and into the kitchen for an evening snack. Maybe if she was lucky, it would even stay down.
* * * *
The next evening, Gray picked her up and drove her back to his place for dinner. It was the first time she’d been invited to his home and she was curious to see where he lived and potentially learn a little more about him. So far they’d mostly chatted about the baby or made small talk, both of them walking on eggshells around the other.
Pulling up outside his house, she was already impressed. The massive estate sat on the edge of town and bordered National Forest land. The house itself was a brick Victorian with ginger bread trim around the eaves, two turrets, and what looked like three floors. She whistled. “Nice house.”
Gray cut the engine. “It’s home.”
She opened her door and hopped out. Gray came around the front of the vehicle and joined her. Together they followed the cobblestone pathway and climbed the porch steps leading to the house. Gray unlocked the front door and waved her in ahead of him.
She entered a large, open foyer and gazed up in amazement at the honest to God crystal chandelier hanging over her head. That was something she’d never seen outside of a movie or magazine. On her right, there was a grand dining room with a table big enough to seat at least twelve people. To her left sat a formal living room that looked like it hadn’t been used in a hundred years. She’d never seen so many antiques in one space before. Directly ahead of her was an ornate wooden staircase leading upstairs.
Gray stopped beside her and rubbed her back. “Would you like a tour of the house?”
“Sure.” What she’d seen so far was beautiful, if a bit intimidating. She wouldn’t mind seeing the rest of it.
“All right.” Gray smiled down at her. “Lets start this way.” He held his hand out to the left.
“It’s a beautiful room,” she said. “You obviously like antiques.”
“I like them about as well as the next guy,” he said. “Most of the house is the way my mother designed it. I haven’t changed much.”
That made sense. “What have you changed?”
“Come on,” he said. “I’ll show you.” He led her into the living room and through an open doorway she hadn’t noticed along the back wall. It led down a long hallway toward the back of the house. They passed several closed doors, which Gray pointed out as guest bedrooms, bathrooms, or closets. Two open thresholds stood at the end of the hall. She glanced through the one on the right and dis
covered a large, open kitchen with stainless steel appliances, floor to ceiling cabinets, and a huge center island.
Gray kept walking. “I updated the kitchen a few years ago and remodeled the den.”
“The kitchen is amazing. Do you cook much?”
“When I have the time, which isn’t as often as I’d like.”
“That’s a shame. A kitchen like that should definitely get used as often as possible.”
She walked ahead of Gray and peeked into the den, which probably had the same square footage as her house. Her gaze flitted over a leather sectional sofa, matching recliners, a giant flat screen television, pool table, and wet bar. She looked back over her shoulder and grinned at him. “Unlike the rest of the house, I can definitely picture you spending time in here.”
“Guilty. It’s my favorite room in the house.”
“I can see why.”
“I didn’t have the heart to change the whole house, but this was always a family room, so I didn’t see the harm in making it my own.”
Mara thought that was sweet. She could definitely understand the need to hold onto the things left behind by lost loved ones. She still hadn’t finished boxing up her grandma’s things yet. Every time she tried to start, she ended up taking a long trip down memory lane, and her heart broke a little more. She reached for Gray and twined their fingers together. “I think your house is a perfect mix of old and new.”
He squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you think so.”
“So,” she said, changing the subject. “I believe you said something about feeding me. Are we cooking or ordering takeout?”
“We’re grilling. Or rather, I am.”
“Sounds good to me. I’m starving.” Mid-afternoon seemed to be the best time for her appetite these days.
“Good. Let me grab the meat and fixin’s out of the fridge and then I’ll fire up the grill.”
The Playboy Bear's Baby: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance Page 4
