It was a problem he had yet to solve, and time was running out. He was determined to find the right time to propose, but when would that be?
“It looks like Thanksgiving came in here and threw up all over the place!” J.D.’s enthusiastic exclamation shook him out of his thoughts. “I love it! Thanks for inviting me.” The cat—rather, the African black-footed cat—shifter bounded toward them wearing her usual trucker hat, jeans, and a sweater with a picture of a roasted turkey on it that proclaimed, “I like Big Breasts and I Cannot Lie.”
“J.D. loves the holidays,” Damon said to everyone at the table. “In case none of you noticed.”
“I do!” J.D. proclaimed as she plopped down beside Dutchy. “I love Halloween because that means it’s almost time for Thanksgiving, and I love Thanksgiving because it means soon it’ll be my favorite holiday of all time—Christmas! Woot!” She pumped her fist in the air.
“Oh God,” Gabriel slapped a hand on his forehead. “I forgot what a nightmare you are during the holidays.”
“I am not a nightmare,” she denied.
Damon raised a brow. “Remember that time you dragged us to Verona Mills so you could see Santa Claus and then got us kicked out of the mall because you fought with Santa’s elf?”
“That wasn’t my fault,” J.D. said. “He clearly lacked the Christmas spirit and needed to do a better job of representing the good elves of the North Pole.”
“You called him out because he wouldn’t let you sit on Santa’s lap,” Gabriel said.
“See?” She spread her arms wide, as if proving her point. “Lack of Christmas spirit.”
“You were sixteen,” Damon pointed out.
J.D. harrumphed. “Unlike the sign they posted outside the Christmas village, the lyrics of that famous song didn’t say ‘to kids from only one to twelve’ now did it?” She stuck her tongue out at Damon and Gabriel, then turned to Dutchy and grabbed one of the rolls of ribbons on the table. “Can I help?”
“Sure,” Dutchy said. “Here … let me show you.”
Krieger wasn’t quite sure what happened—one moment, Dutchy was showing J.D. how to make bows for the wreaths and the next, the mechanic had unrolled the entire spool, the red and gold ribbon was tied up in knots, and she had somehow cut her fingers in three places.
“Uh, so did I do it right?” she asked Dutchy sheepishly, holding up a monstrosity of a wreath.
“J.D.!” Dutchy exclaimed. “What did you—how did you even manage to get these maple leaves wrapped up in here?”
“What?” J.D. asked innocently. “I thought it looked festive!”
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Daniel greeted as he walked up to them, Sarah in tow. Sarah and Darcey’s younger brother, Adam, followed behind them in his motorized wheelchair. “Wow, this looks amazing, Dutchy,” the bear shifter said.
“Yeah, the decorations are stunning,” Sarah raved.
“Hey,” Adam greeted, chin lifting in that ‘I’m too cool to say Happy Thanksgiving’ kind of way only a teenager could pull off. “What’s up? When do we eat? I’m starving.”
“Starving already?” Anders groaned as he strode up to them, Darcey by his side. “You just ate three slices of pizza at home.” He shook his head exasperatingly. “But, great job, Dutchy,” he said, then grimaced when he looked at J.D.’s wreath. “Now that looks like your handiwork, McNamara.”
“Go fuck a French horn, Stevens,” she hissed.
“Be a nice kitty now,” he chortled. “So … how about caracal?”
J.D. crossed her arms over her chest. “Nuh-uh, you’re not going to make me say it.”
Anders had found out that J.D. had shifted in front of Dutchy and Krieger, and had begged them to tell him what J.D. was. They refused, of course, and now he was a man on a mission, trying to discover her animal. He took a guess each time they crossed paths, but had yet to get it right.
Darcey rolled her eyes. “I apologize for my mate. I swear I can’t take him anywhere.”
“It’s all right, Darcey. Don’t apologize for him.” Getting to her feet, J.D. turned to Anders. “However, I think you owe an apology to a tree somewhere for providing you oxygen.”
“Hey!” Anders protested.
J.D. chuckled. “All right, I’m gonna go look for some snacks. I’ll see you guys around.” With a wave of her hand, she walked off in the direction of the entrance to the main building.
“You know,” Darcey said. “It’s not just her animal that’s the mystery here.”
“Really?” Anders asked. “What else could it be?”
The swan shifter’s brows drew together. “Does anyone know what ‘J.D.’ stands for?”
Everyone looked at each other, puzzled.
“Gabriel?” Temperance asked her fiancé.
“What’re you looking at me for?” The lion shifter raised his palms up. “Do I look like I’d know?”
“Not even you, Damon?” Anna Victoria asked, astonished.
“Er. Uh.” The chief scratched his head. “We’ve been friends for so long, at this point, I’m too afraid to ask.”
As they continued with their wreath making, more people poured into the cafeteria hall. The din began to grow louder, and at one point, Dutchy reached out and placed a hand over his. “Are you okay?” she asked.
The warmth of the pale blue eyes filled with concern was almost enough to chase away the anxiety building in him. While he wanted to reassure his mate that he was perfectly fine, he didn’t want to lie to her. Actually, he couldn’t, because surely, she could tell his unease through their mating bond. “I need some air.”
“You go ahead,” she said. “I’ll finish up and join you in a bit, okay?”
“Thanks.” He got up and left without a word. No one at the table questioned him or asked him where he was going or why he was leaving—after all, after Dutchy, these were the men who understood him the most.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, he strolled outside toward the edge of the parking lot where he could see Contessa Peak in the distance. It was early yet, but with the days growing shorter, he knew the sun would descend behind the peak soon. He stood there, enjoying the silence and being alone, at least, until he felt a presence behind him.
“It is a beautiful sight,” Milos said as he stepped up beside Krieger.
“Sure is.” No, he wasn’t startled by the wolf shifter’s presence. What did catch him by surprise was the fact that Milos was dressed casually in jeans, boots, a T-shirt, and wool coat. He also wore a black patch over his scarred eye and had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. “You leaving?”
He nodded. “There are things back home on Lykos I must attend to.”
“D’you gotta go right now?” Krieger cocked his head back toward the hall. “Caterers should be by with the food soon. Why don’t you stay for a bite?”
“I’m afraid I cannot. Petros is coming to pick me up to take me to the airport. But before that, I shall be dining with his family. I cannot leave without seeing my little Sofie.” The corner of his lips tugged up in the closest thing Krieger had seen to any emotion from the Greek wolf. “But I came here to give you some news. About the poachers and their victims.”
Krieger didn’t know this until Petros Thalassa had told him, but Milos had been part of the original Shifter Protection Agency back on the island of Lykos under their Alpha, Ari Stavros. He’d been injured during a mission and was thought to be dead, but their enemies actually captured and tortured him, which was what had sent him into a downward spiral.
“Petros tells me they have tracked down all the missing shifters,” Milos said. “They are in the process of repatriating all three.”
“H-how are they?” His teeth clenched, thinking about what those poor shifters might have gone through.
“Alive,” was all Milos said. “And as for the people responsible for their kidnapping, they have also been found and will soon be brought to justice.”
“Tell Petros if they need help …”
&nbs
p; Milos nodded. “I shall pass the message along.”
“I should get back.” Krieger stuck his hand out. “Good luck to you, Milos.” It was hard to believe that Milos would be leaving, but he hoped this wasn’t goodbye forever.
Milos grabbed it and squeezed. “Same to you, my friend.”
“Sure I can’t convince you to come in for at least a beer?”
The wolf shifter turned to the mountains. “Thank you, but no. I should like some time to myself before Petros arrives.”
Krieger understood, not offended by the rebuff or the dismissal. “Sure thing, bud.”
Turning on his heel, he left the wolf shifter and headed back to the cafeteria. Even more people had come in now, but the fresh air outside had calmed his bear enough that he could walk in without any problem.
What his bear did complain about was that they had been away from their mate. So, he sought her out, finally finding her fixing the hat on one of the decorative scarecrows by the refreshment tables.
Sidling up behind her, he placed his hands on her waist. She barely reacted, though he could feel her vixen yipping in happiness. His bear, too, replied with a growl of pleasure.
“So,” he said, leaning down to her ear. “I leave you alone for five minutes, and you’re already messing around with another guy.”
Turning on her heel, she raised a brow at him. “At least this guy doesn’t try to feel me up every chance he gets.”
“You like it when I feel you up.” To prove a point, he moved his hand lower, down to her luscious ass and squeezed. “Hmmm … I can’t wait to get you alone tonight.”
She pressed up against him, then slipped her hand over the bulge now growing in his crotch. “Why wait?”
“Oh, you’re in trouble, missy.”
She stifled a laugh as he grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the door that led into the main building of the Blackstone Ranger’s headquarters. As soon as they were alone, he caught her mouth in a kiss and pressed her up against the wall. She melted into him, molding her sweet body against his and rubbing against him until he could smell her arousal. “Krieger,” she moaned. “What if someone comes in?”
He growled, but pulled away from her. He needed to be alone with her. Now. “C’mon.” He put a hand around her shoulder.
“Where are we going?” she asked as they shuffled along the darkened hallway.
“I know a place we can be alone.”
“Where?”
He grinned at her. “Damon’s office.”
“Dam—oh!” Her blue eyes sparkled. “Lead the way then.”
The chief’s office was the perfect place for a secret rendezvous as it was located on the far end of the building and had a great view of the mountains. The thought of bending her over that big desk was enough to make his cock twitch painfully.
When they got to the door at the end of the hall, he hurriedly pushed her inside, his arousal in such full force that he didn’t realize the office wasn’t empty.
Lusty shrieks, moans and grunts greeted them as they stumbled inside, as well as two very naked figures currently using the desk as their own personal sex furniture.
Dutchy’s face was that of pure horror. “Not again!”
“Fuck!” He didn’t expect Damon and Anna Victoria would have the same idea as them. Goddamned Damon has this office every other fucking day of the year, and he had to feel frisky now?
The pants and groans, however, didn’t sound like the chief and his wife. His vision focused on the copulating couple on the desk. Though he couldn’t see the man’s face, the woman’s was turned to them. Krieger’s brain once again short-circuited when he recognized who it was.
J.D.’s light hazel eyes snapped open. “Oh my God!” she shrieked when she saw them.
Both of them stood still, unable to move. To his credit, J.D.’s partner didn’t seem to mind the audience as he continued on.
“You’re still here?” she exclaimed between the vigorous thrusting. “Were you raised in a barn? Get out!” Something sailed their way—a stapler probably—and he had to stand in front of Dutchy so it hit him in the chest instead of her.
“Sorry!” Dutchy waved, then grabbed him by the waist and pulled them both away. The door closed loudly behind them, though the faint sounds of the passionate couple were still audible to their shifter ears. “Oh my God, was that really … did we really …”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he said with a grimace. He wondered how many beers he’d need to erase this particular memory. “C’mon, I know a better place.”
Krieger found the staircase up to the second floor of the building, then the doorway that led to a spiral staircase that led up to the rooftop. “Careful,” he said, then took her hand to guide her across. On this side of the building, they had a clear view of the skies over the mountains where twilight was slowly creeping in from the distance.
“How did you know about this place?” she asked.
“Well,” he scratched his head. “Damon, Gabriel, Daniel, Anders, and me used to sneak up here to drink and hang out past curfew.” Since he didn’t like going into town on their days off from training, the guys didn’t want him to feel left out, so they would sneak him in some beer, and they would come up here to drink and talk and shoot the shit. Well, they did anyway. He was happy to sit back and listen as he watched the stars.
“It’s lovely here.” She let out a little shiver, and so he sidled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
“Better?”
“Mm-hmm,” she said, leaning into him.
They stood there for what seemed like the longest time, watching the day turn into night, the dark-blue sky glittering with stars.
His bear rumbled with real happiness, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Change didn’t happen overnight. He still had a lot of work to do on himself. But in this moment, feeling Dutchy’s love and trust through their mate bond, he knew he could continue on this journey without fear or doubt.
Spinning her around, he kissed her soundly on the lips, pushing his own emotions of love into the bond back to her. His heart thudded in his chest and then a thought came into his head. This was it. The right time.
“What are you thinking of?” she asked saucily when she pulled away. “When you should be thinking of only one thing when you’re kissing me?”
“I’m thinking that I love you,” he said. “And I don’t want to wait any longer.”
“For what?”
Getting down on one knee, he took her hand in his, making her gasp. “I was trying to find the best time to do this. But, well … the best time was after that snowstorm, but I can’t change what happened in the past. However, the second-best time is now.”
Her eyes glittered with tears. “John …”
“I have the ring waiting for you back in Minnesota. Mom and Grandma will be disappointed I’m doing this without them, but maybe we can stage something to keep them happy.”
She chuckled through her tears and nodded.
“So … Duchess Marie Forrester … can I be your husband?”
“John … oh, John, yes!”
He whooped and stood up, then hoisted her up into his arms. “I love you, mate.” Soon to be wife.
“I love you too.”
They stayed there for a while longer, enjoying the peace and silence, only the sounds of the Thanksgiving party in full swing below them drifting up to where they stood, entwined in each other’s arms, and the stars twinkling overhead as they watched from the heavens.
Dear Reader,
I can’t believe it myself that this story is done!
But the series isn’t over yet. There’s one more book left and I’m sure you all are dying to know who it’s about.
Hopefully you’ve been nice this year, but even if you’ve been naughty (and don’t we all love to be naughty?), you can still read the next book.
Blackstone Ranger Scrooge!
Pre-order it now at 2.99 before the price goes up.
Comes out early December!
By the way, if you want to help me out and make sure I can keep writing, do leave me some reviews for this book!
And if you find any typos, please do send them to me [email protected] or pm me on facebook.
All my love,
Alicia
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Blackstone Ranger Guardian: Blackstone Rangers Book 5 Page 19
