by Terry Spear
“What about you?” Dan asked Ricky, looking worried.
“I’m good. I nearly had a heart attack, but now that I know Mandy is safe, I’m good.” Sopping wet, Ricky grabbed his dry shirt and weapons belt off the ground. He headed for the car and opened the back door for Mandy so she could lie down on the back seat. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see a cougar sitting in a deputy sheriff’s car in the front passenger seat. “Do you mind if I take off the rest of the afternoon?”
“You’ve got it. We’ll see you at the party, won’t we?” Dan asked.
Mandy nodded and Ricky smiled. “Nothing will keep us from it.”
As soon as they arrived at the bunkhouse, Tracey called to tell them she’d heard what had happened and if they needed anything to let her or Hal know. Kolby and Ted returned from their ranching duties to come and see them too, and Mandy was glad they were so concerned, but she really wanted to chill after all that had happened and just be alone with Ricky.
After hugs and well wishes, Kolby and Ted left, and she headed into the bathroom to shift and shower off the lake water.
“Hey,” Ricky said outside the bathroom door that was partially ajar, “I would have died if you had. I want you for my mate for now and always. I love you, Mandy. I was going to declare my love to you at the party tonight, but I want to now.”
She opened the bathroom door with her cat’s paw, and he smiled at her. “I thought you had shifted already.”
She pushed at the glass door with her paw as if urging him to open the door and start the water for her.
He started running the hot water for her. “You can’t shift?”
She growled low. She still wanted to take a shower and then get into bed with Ricky, to snuggle with him until she could shift back. She was hoping that she wouldn’t shift at the party tonight, since she’d shifted earlier, but then she worried, what if she couldn’t shift back at all because she’d been so traumatized?
She growled again and walked into the shower.
“If you promise not to bite me, I’ll wash you.” He stripped down to his boxer briefs and got into the shower to soap her up. But then she tugged at his boxer briefs and he smiled. “All right.” He tossed the wet article of clothing on the tile floor and closed the shower door again. He was beginning to run her vanilla shampoo over her coat when she suddenly shifted.
This was more like it. Her body was covered in soap and she began to rub her soap onto his body. He was quickly aroused, and she was putting the trauma of the last couple of hours out of her mind while she enjoyed touching her mate in the throes of passion, because that’s exactly where this was headed. No words were needed now, except maybe, “I love you, Ricky, and always have.”
“God, I’ve wanted to hear you say that forever. I love you, Mandy, and I couldn’t live without you. I mean it.”
And then they were soaping each other up again, kissing like they’d never been apart, like it was meant to be, and she knew it was from the moment she’d hit a cougar on the road, he had bitten her, and they had become soulmates, just like in the beginning. Two kids born in the same hospital, practically at the same time, meeting up miles away in a new hometown to become boyfriend and girlfriend, and then meeting here, only this time they were staying together.
He slipped his hand between her legs, started to stroke her, his mouth kissing hers, their tongues tangling, and she was leaning against the tile wall, feeling limp beneath his touch. His free hand ran the soap over a breast, and then the other, her nipples tingling and peaking. His finger stroked her nubbin, eliciting a low moan. She wanted to climb onto him, ride him in the shower under the hot, pulsating spray of water, to feel it sluicing down their bodies, his arousal pressing deep inside her.
The feel of the cold lake water that had chilled her to the core was gone and rampant heat warmed her to the marrow of her bones. Not only from the hot shower, but from the way Ricky was stroking her, bringing her to the brink, making her beg for release. She cried out with elation, the thrumming of the orgasm filling her, and he quickly lifted her, wrapping her legs around his hips, and asked, “Are you sure?”
“Don’t ask. Just do it.”
He began kissing her again, and plunged his cock into her, slowly, deeply and pulling out and doing it again and again and again. They were Libras—and the two of them brought a sense of balance to their lives in everything they did. She was in heaven with the man of her dreams and she would love him forever.
In his wildest dreams, Ricky had never imagined entering a shower to wash up his cougar girlfriend and end up making love to her when she shifted. He’d envisioned making love to her in bed, declaring their love for each other there, mating for life. But this was one hell of a way to go. Especially after the close call they’d had of easily losing each other in the chilly lake water.
Her body fit his just perfectly, tight and accepting, her eyes closed, her lips parted, and he kissed her again, their tongues doing a choreographed dance. He was glad she could put the trauma of the last couple of hours out of her mind to be with him like this, and he still was thanking God for allowing him to come to her rescue, though she had rescued herself in her time of need.
She arched her back and he pressed kisses along her neck and throat and down her breastbone. “Ohmigod,” she said, and he felt her climax rippling around his cock.
He thrust again and this time he came, realizing in that moment that he hadn’t used a condom. Hell. He hoped if she got pregnant, she would not want to kill him.
They washed off, turned the water off, and toweled each other dry.
“Your bed or mine?” she asked.
“Mine. That’s where you always end up.”
She smiled. “Yeah. I guess I’ve always kind of seen it as my bed too. You know, I want a steampunk wedding.”
“Sounds great to me.” He grabbed her up, wrapped in the towel, and carried her to bed.
“I love your boss.”
“Dan? Yeah, he’s a great guy.”
“How many bosses would give you the rest of the day off to do this?” she asked as Ricky laid her in bed, pulled her towel off, then yanked off his towel and joined her, covering them with the comforter.
“Not any I can think of.”
“What if I’m needed at the clinic?” But Mandy didn’t make a move to show that she wanted to go back into town. Instead, she curled up against Ricky’s body.
“You have a really good boss too. The cougars are always there for each other when we need them the most.”
“I never thought it would be like this, living with a cougar community. I was thinking about that home you were talking about that was situated near a creek. I’d like to look at it this weekend when we’re both off from work.”
Ricky smiled at her. “Sure thing.” They were going to get a home of their own. He was finally going to have his own family, along with Kolby, of course. “I have to ask. When I was trying to find the trunk release to rescue you, how did you manage on your own?”
“I knew I couldn’t use the trunk release while he was speeding down the road. I could imagine me popping the trunk and him rolling the car. I’d be thrown from the car and killed. I planned to shift and then either pop the trunk when he stopped the car and take him down as a cougar, or just wait until he opened the trunk himself, unaware I had pulled the tape off my wrists and ankles and had shifted into my cougar. I didn’t expect him to drive the car into the lake. It took me a few minutes to reach the lever and then yank it hard with my cougar teeth.”
“I’m damn glad you did. I was having a hard time reaching the trunk release with his body in the way.”
She sighed. “I love you.”
“I love you right back, honey.”
Mandy was so good for Ricky in so many ways and he couldn’t believe how many holidays were coming up that they would celebrate together, making this the most special year ever. And the new year was all theirs.
10
The night of the Hallowe
en party, Ricky couldn’t contain his need to tell all of the gathered cougars that he and Mandy were mated. Not only because he wanted them to know they were a couple, but just in case any single male cougar had designs on his girl. But he waited just the same until Mandy was ready to share the news too.
Everyone was dressed in the steampunk theme. The Buchanan’s girls had started a trend and all the little girls were steampunk fairies. The boys wore black capes with their jeans, boots, and vests, and Ricky thought they were more like vampires, Batman, or some variation thereof. Most everyone was wearing cowboy boots, and vests, the women in corsets and skirts or striped pants. And Dottie, the former police dispatcher and her husband, Jack, with the Cougar Special Forces, had bought steampunk-goggles for everyone who didn’t have a pair. Even Ted wore a pair of the goggles on top of his Stetson.
Mrs. Fitz had made tons of sweets, from a cake decorated with an antique clock to cupcakes decorated with hot air balloons and pumpkin spice bread. And she had joined the fun in dressing up in a rust leather skirt, jacket, lace blouse, vest, gloves, leather aviator hat, and a cool steampunk pistol.
Bridget and Travis MacKay—who were Cougar Special Forces—had been visiting with her parents in Ely, Minnesota with their twins—and made it just in time for the party, bringing miniature steampunk pocket watches for everyone.
Chase and Shannon had made a pumpkin pie, and Tracey had brought a pecan pie. Docs Kate and William and Kate’s mate, Leyton, brought trays of meat, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables.
Deputy Sheriff Nina had come with her mate, Stryker, and her sister, Ava, had come with Kolby, though Ricky still didn’t think the two of them were serious about each other.
They had another special occasion to celebrate too, and that was Dan’s birthday. Ricky still couldn’t believe he was working for him now. Well-wishes and presents were given to their beloved sheriff, his wife Addie giving him a big kiss, but then she had to go off and nurse their four-month old twins.
The music was playing in the background—steampunk music that was a mixture of fantasy, world music, and steam mechanics. It had a great beat and several couples and singles were dancing to the music.
Dan got up to the podium to welcome their newest member to the community, Mandy Richards. When she came up to the podium, she dragged her gun-toting mate with her. He smiled at her, loving her.
“Thanks to all of you for helping me to get through the first six weeks of this wild and crazy ride of being a part-time cougar. I want to thank Docs Kate and William for helping me in my new job. And I want to thank everyone for protecting me when I was in trouble. And thanks to Tracey and Hal for putting me up. And Kolby and Ted for giving Ricky and I some alone time together at the bunkhouse. Most of all, I wanted to say that Ricky and I have something to share.” She leaned over and kissed him and he kissed her back, so glad she wanted to tell everyone they were officially mated. She lifted his hand in hers. “We’re mated.”
Everyone cheered so loud, whistling, and calling out congratulations, Ricky thought the whole roof would collapse on them.
Ricky said, “This was meant to happen from the moment we were born in the same hospital, separated, rejoined each other, and separated again. It was like we had our own magic time machine that continued to reunite us until we finally knew we had to make this commitment. We’ll be planning a wedding in the near future. Hang onto your steampunk duds. It’ll be a steampunk wedding for sure.”
Everyone cheered again and he couldn’t be happier that they were back together again with a whole new family. When they left the podium, individuals came over to congratulate them, all the ladies wanting to help Mandy plan the wedding.
“A honeymoon?” Shannon, Chase’s wife asked.
“Uh, I think we’ll stick to cougar territory for now,” Mandy said. “At least until I know I have the shifting totally under control.”
“Maybe we’ll take a camping trip under the stars and near the waterfall beyond Hal and Tracey’s property,” Ricky said.
Then the conversations died down when someone new arrived at the community center. Edgar’s brothers. Ricky wished he wasn’t holding a steampunk rifle that was nothing more than a fun prop and was wearing his handgun instead.
The men didn’t look like they were armed at least.
Dan and Stryker went to speak to them, and they turned to see where Ricky and Mandy were and spoke to Dan and Stryker, then motioned to Ricky and his mate.
He didn’t want her to come with him when he joined Dan and Stryker, but she stuck to him.
“We want to identify our brother’s body. We don’t want any trouble,” the darker haired brother said.
“We want hear from them what really happened and take his body home,” the other brother said.
Ricky guessed Dan had gotten ahold of them and told them the details of what had happened and that their brother was in the morgue. Ricky was past ready for this business with Edgar and his brothers to be over and done with. But he wished he could have left Mandy at the party while he dealt with this.
Mandy appreciated that Ricky didn’t want to trouble her with Edgar’s brothers, but she needed to have resolution. She figured she’d have nightmares about being trapped in the trunk of the car, water filling it up, and nearly drowning her for some time over it.
When they arrived at the morgue, she didn’t look at the body again, but she explained what had happened to her in detail. The brothers listened and then the one nodded.
“We tried to talk him out of looking for you. We told him you had chosen someone you knew before he’d even met you, but he wouldn’t listen. We were afraid it would come to something like this. He didn’t want you to be with anyone else, but we’re glad you survived. Unless you need to hold his body for any other reason, we’d like to arrange to have him shipped home so we can bury him.”
“He’s all yours,” Dan said. After they made arrangements, the brothers left, and the rest of them went back to the party.
Things had quieted down and Mandy was afraid that the brothers’ arrival had put a damper on the party, but then she and Ricky took to the dance floor to prove that they were ready to continue to party. This was one Halloween she would never forget, and she loved the cougars of Yuma Town for welcoming her into the family.
Epilogue
Seven months later, Ricky and Mandy had their steampunk wedding, and were moving into their new home near the creek. She couldn’t have been any happier.
For now, they were packing for their camping trip on the Haverton’s ranch for their honeymoon. A fancier honeymoon somewhere else would come later when she was sure her shifting wouldn’t cause trouble.
She didn’t think they’d make it to the car before Ricky was hauling her to bed again. Sure enough, he scooped her up and said, “Let’s take a break before we head on out.”
His idea of a break was having heart-thumping sex. That was all right by her. She was looking forward to camping with him too since they hadn’t done that since they’d parted ways years earlier.
“Do you ever think of what could have been if I hadn’t run into you that night on Friday, the thirteenth?” she asked, pulling off his shirt.
“I was meant to be on that road in the fog at that very same time,” he said, kissing her. “I was meant to stop you in the only way that would have enough of an impact to really keep you with me.”
She smiled and ran her hands through his hair. “Did I ever tell you I was sorry for running into you?”
He chuckled. “No, but you told me you loved me, and that’s all that counts.”
Then they were kissing and stripping, and she couldn’t have been any happier than she was now.
That night, sitting beside the campfire near the waterfall on the Haverton’s land and breaking open fortune cookies after having burgers over the fire, Ricky read his fortune out loud. “A person’s character is his destiny.”
Mandy opened hers and smiled. “What would be the odds that we’d have the
same fortune?”
“No way. Let me see.” Ricky read her fortune and laughed. “We’re Libras—we are the balance in each other’s life. We were meant to be.”
They saw a falling star, but they didn’t need to wish on it. All their dreams had already come true.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Donna Fournier and Darla Taylor for always being such great beta readers. I’ll never forget the first time I asked Donna if she’d beta read for me, and she was thinking in terms of alpha and beta wolves and that didn’t set right with her until I explained it just meant she’d read my story first and help to catch any of my mistakes. She could still be an alpha beta reader. Thanks, ladies, it means the world to me.
About the Author
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over sixty paranormal and medieval Highland romances. In 2008, Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. She has received a PNR Top Pick, a Best Book of the Month nomination by Long and Short Reviews, numerous Night Owl Romance Top Picks, and 2 Paranormal Excellence Awards for Romantic Literature (Finalist & Honorable Mention). In 2016, Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing was an RT Book Reviews top pick. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world, helps out with her granddaughter, and she is raising two Havanese. She lives in Spring, Texas.
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Terry Spear's Shifters
http://terryspear.wordpress.com/
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