by Mary Abshire
“More than fair.” She pulled him to her lips.
He snuggled closer and kept his mouth glued to hers. He knew in his heart she truly loved him. Whatever fear or doubts she had, he believed he could help her overcome them. She was a strong-minded woman, smart, and very rational. She’d proven it many times in the last couple of days. She also knew what she wanted. He could give it to her if she let him. She’d admitted her love and that was the first step. If he could alleviate her fears, he was certain they could spend their days happy and loving each other. Failure was not an option.
Chapter Twenty-One
Feeling a chill, Lynn rolled over on the bed. Covers brushed against her feet. She opened her eyes and reached for them. As the curtains fluttered, she heard birds chirping. A lot of birds were singing and making loud noises. She also noticed Marcel wasn’t anywhere in sight. Her heating blanket had disappeared. Where did he go?
Instead of hiding under the covers, she decided to go look for her dragon lover. She slid from the bed and instantly her legs quivered. Her body felt a little sore and her breasts were tender, but in a good way. They’d made love multiple times during the night. It seemed as if they couldn’t get enough of each other. She looked forward to spending more time in his loving embrace.
Smiling, she slowly bent to gather the button-down shirt from the floor. She’d left her other clothes on a bed in one of the spare rooms. Cold as she was, she needed something to cover her body now. As she headed for the open door, she slid one arm at a time through the sleeves.
Holding the shirt together with her arms crossed, she headed down the stairs. A very light ache from her leg reminded her about the injury. She’d have to check it later along with her other wounds to see if they were almost healed.
A gurgling sound from the kitchen drew her toward the room. Light shined into the main room through the tall windows. Dew covered the ground and the black area burned by Marcel’s fiery breath. The scorched earth served as a reminder to her that not all supernatural creatures were as kind as Marcel and his friends. She trusted them, but it would take time for her to trust others.
She walked into the kitchen and found Marcel staring at the phone in his hand. He stood on the other side of the center island, shirtless. He might have been naked, but she couldn’t tell for sure.
“Coffee is almost ready.” He set the phone on the countertop. “Would you like a cup?”
“Sure.” She headed for one of the stools. “What time is it?”
“Almost seven.”
“Seriously? We spent the entire night in bed?”
“Well…” He grinned. “We did, but we weren’t sleeping the entire time.” He turned his head sideways and gave her a questionable look. “You do remember, don’t you?”
She sat on one of the stools, put her arms on the table and threaded her fingers together. “No, I don’t remember. Tell me what we did.” She held a straight face.
When he narrowed his gaze at her and pressed his lips together, she freed the laughter bubbled up inside her.
“I’m kidding! Of course I remember everything,” she said.
With a smirk on his face, he stepped away to counter where the coffee machine spat. Red boxer shorts hid his squeezable ass and prized jewels. A touch of heat stirred within her as she thought about the blissful night.
“If you didn’t remember, I was going to take you upstairs and repeat what we did.” He opened one of the cabinets above and then withdrew two cups. “Since you remember, I guess I won’t.” He set the cups on the counter and they clanked.
“You know, I think my memory might be fading. Perhaps you should show me later what we did.” She wouldn’t pass on another round of love and incredible orgasms from him. Ever.
“Do you want any cream or sugar?” he asked.
“Just cream or milk. No sugar.”
He headed for the refrigerator. “Shepherd dropped off my Jeep at some point last night. He sent a message.”
“Oh, why didn’t he knock at the door?”
Marcel poured cream into the cups and then returned the carton to the fridge. “He said he heard some noises and didn’t want to disturb us. I left the windows open all night since we were getting so hot.”
“Oh,” she said in a low tone. Her cheeks warmed. “Think he knows what we were doing?”
Marcel grinned widely as he carried the cups full of coffee. “I’m pretty sure he knows. He’s a good kid, but not really a kid if you know what I mean.”
She tugged the stool beside her from underneath the counter. “So our secret is out. You’re no longer available and neither am I. What will the rest of the single world do now?”
He set the mugs on the counter before he sat. “All I care about is you.” He gave her a kiss on her cheek.
The small gesture warmed her heart and reminded her of her parents. Her dad used to do the same thing. Her mom told her he’d do little things like peck her with a kiss, squeeze her hand or rub her back, carry her bags, open doors…simple things and they always brought her joy. Growing up, she thought it was gross. Now, she understood her parents.
“How are you feeling?” Marcel asked.
“Sore, but rested.” She lifted the cup of java to her lips.
“Is it your leg? Do you need more aspirin?”
She swallowed the strong coffee. “My leg doesn’t hurt that much at all. It feels much better. It’s my body that’s a little sore, but I’ll be fine.” She gave a wave of her free hand.
He held his cup as he studied her. His eyes widened for a brief second when the imaginary light bulb must have flashed in his head. “Oh, sorry.”
“I’m not, and you shouldn’t be either. It’s been a while for me. That’s all.” She took another sip.
“Still, I don’t want to hurt you.” He kept his gaze lowered. “We should take things slower. I should—“
“Do nothing different.”
He lifted his head.
She put one of her hands on top of the one he used to lift his mug. “I don’t want you to do anything different. I enjoyed every minute with you. I’d do it all again if I didn’t have a wedding to get to later.”
His lips started to curl up. “I love you.”
“And I love you.” She took another swig of caffeine.
“Speaking of the wedding, it seems I will be driving you to Montreal. Shepherd’s message said your car would need a new engine. He can look for one and have his friends install it, but it might take some time.” Marcel took a drink of his coffee.
She set her mug on the counter and rolled her head back. “Ohhh crap. This is really bad news.”
“I’ll drive you to Montreal. It’s not a problem.”
She rubbed her temple. “Yeah, but what about after the wedding? I have a job to get back to. I’m going to have to look for another car.”
She’d used up her savings for this vacation and the wedding. Although she hadn’t spent money since she’d been with Marcel, she would need the funds to buy a new bridesmaid dress and for gas to get to Montreal. She wouldn’t have much left for a down payment for a car. On the bright side, work was picking up. She could spend more hours at her job, and earn overtime for several months. She hated the subway since strangers always bugged her and she’d almost been mugged three times, but she could ride the subway for a while.
“Or, you could let me take you.” He slid his hand closer and then grazed the tip of his finger over her hand. “I could drive you back to Chicago and stay with you for a while, if that would help.”
The small touch and his offer showed he cared. He’d already helped her with so much. She felt as if she could never repay him.
Saying nothing, she looked away from him and to her cup.
“But if you don’t want me to stay with you, I can find a place. A hotel or something,” he said.
She shook her head. “I’m not going to let you go out of your way to help me. That’s not fair.”
“This isn’t about being
fair. This is about me loving you and wanting to help. If you let me, this issue doesn’t have to be an issue. I can take care of it and you. I love you.”
She stared deep into his eyes. He was such an amazing man. Why did she resist his offers? He loved her and she loved him. Why not give him a chance?
She swallowed hard. “What about your work? I don’t want to interfere with anything you have going on.”
He brushed her hair away from one side of her face. “I don’t have anything pressing. Even if I did, it would wait. You’ll always be my priority. Just let me help you.”
She took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright. You can move in with me. I still feel bad for taking you away from your home and work.”
He lifted his cup. “Please, don’t worry about it. We’ll get through this and everything will be fine. Team work, remember?”
She loved him and wanted to stay with him. If the latter meant he’d move in with her for a while, then why not let him? The moving in together part didn’t bother her, but she disliked taking him away from his obligations and his home where it was peaceful and quiet. The only other option was to leave her job and move in with him. Could she really take that leap of faith?
Marcel meant the world to her. By all indications, he thought the same about her. Maybe she needed to seriously consider dropping a job that overworked her, leave a city full of crime and traffic, and move in with the man she wanted to grow old with. The idea seemed outrageous, but the last couple of days had been beyond crazy and she’d fallen in love with a man who would do anything for her. She really needed to give her idea further thought if they were going to have a future together.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“I think it will be a waste of time to look for an engine since my car is fifteen years old,” she said, sitting in the passenger seat.
He took his eyes off the road and directed them at her. He’d been driving for over two and a half hours, but he always found a few seconds to steal glances at her. His eyes would never tire of admiring the woman he was in love with.
“I can call Shep later and let him know. His friends see your car as a learning opportunity, so it’s not any trouble for them to try to fix it if they can find the right engine and parts,” he said.
The wind picked up and tossed her locks across her face. She gathered the strands, twisted them, and then held them near her shoulder.
“I’d rather save up my money for a down payment on a used car. If the insurance would give me something, maybe I’d consider letting them look for parts. But I doubt my insurance company will believe me if I tell them werewolves were responsible for ruining the engine,” she said.
“Yeah, they probably won’t give you anything.”
The small reference to money reminded him of an earlier comment she’d made. She seemed concerned about her finances. If she’d let him, he’d buy her another car. He’d take care of all her financial concerns if it would ease her worries.
“If you don’t want to drive around in Chicago, I can always take the subway. That is an option,” she said.
“I don’t mind driving.”
“Have you ever driven in the city before?”
“I’ve been through it, but that was…” He pressed his lips together. “Probably over seventy years ago.”
She chuckled. “Trust me, the traffic in the city has gotten worse. It can take an hour to travel five miles depending on the time of day.”
“So why do you do it?”
“What? Drive in the city?”
“Yeah. If there’s a subway system, isn’t it less expensive to use, and quicker?”
“It’s cheaper, and it probably is faster, but the homeless constantly want money or something. Strangers have tried to mug me three times. There are a lot of drunks and creepy people who hang around the terminals, too. Do I need to give you more reasons why I prefer to drive?”
Her description of the subway system bothered him. Almost mugged three times? If he had his way, she’d never use the subway again.
“It doesn’t sound safe,” he said.
“It’s not, but I survived and many others do every day. I’ll take the subway and deal with the crazies to save money. I don’t want you to drive in the city if you’re not comfortable. City driving is nothing like driving on the reserve.”
As usual, she chose to make her life more difficult than it needed to be. While he appreciated she considered him in her decisions, he wanted to be more involved. The modern world had changed a lot since he’d moved into the reserve, but he wasn’t ignorant or afraid of the changes. He liked challenges, and he welcomed the chance to tackle hers. If she would allow him to help, she’d have less stress and problems to deal with.
Last night, he’d been able to talk to her and get her to open up more. She’d actually decided to let him move in with her. He was making progress, but his strong-willed Mrs. Right still needed to let go of some control and give him the opportunity to take care of her.
He moved his left arm from the side of the door and took hold of the steering wheel. With his free hand, he captured hers and brought it to his mouth, kissing the back. “I would prefer to drive if it means you’ll be safe.”
Smiling, she said, “Or you could stay at my place while I drive your car to and from work.”
Seeing a curve coming up, he let go of her hand. “I’m not afraid to drive in the city.”
She shook her head as she stared out her window. “I hate that it means so much wear and tear on your car. I should just take the damn subway. It’s cheaper. I can save money. And it will save your car from wearing out quicker.”
He sensed he was loosing the battle. He refused to accept defeat.
“What do you do to earn money?” he asked. “I don’t think you’ve told me.”
“I work for a marketing firm. It pays pretty well, but we’re always busy. I shouldn’t complain. All the extra hours I put in after college helped me to pay off my student loan and save for this vacation. I’m debt free, or at least I was until my car died.”
Now he understood why she worried about her finances. She’d worked hard to pay off her bills and save for the wedding. It probably seemed as if she were digging out from a hole, but now with her car situation, she probably felt like she was falling back into the hole.
He slowed the Jeep as he drove into the curve. “I can help you get another car.”
“That wouldn’t be right. I appreciate the offer, but I’m not taking your money.”
“Would you take a car?”
“No.”
“Why?” Reaching a stretch of road, he pressed his foot on the accelerator.
“I know you want to help, and I’m very grateful, but—“
“We’re a team now. We work together.”
“Yes, which means one person shouldn’t do everything for the other. I believe in sharing and equality. Accepting money or a car would not be either of those.”
He scratched the back of his head. She had a point, but he had more funds than she did. He’d been able to save for far longer than she’d been alive. Of course, not having bills other than utilities for over a century helped. Damn it, he just wanted to take care of her. How could he convince her to accept his help? He considered his options.
“What if I loaned you money for a car?” he asked.
“I hate borrowing money.” She sighed and then looked at him. “Do you have a marketing assistant?”
The question struck him as odd.
“No,” he said. “I deal directly with the art procurers at the galleries. I don’t get involved with anything. They buy and sell, and then send me the money after they take a portion. I maintain my business website myself. People contact me when they need something.”
“So you don’t do any kind of advertising for your business or artwork?”
He studied her as much as he could while driving. Her slightly arched brows and the way she chewed on her lip hinted she’d come up with an idea involving
marketing. Realization came to him in a flash. He wished he’d thought up the idea first, but knowing she had made it extra special.
“I never bothered with any advertising. But now that you mention it, I could use some help,” he said.
“I’ve been in marketing since college and I’m pretty good at my job. If you need an assistant—“
“I need one.” He met her gaze. “I’d pay you for your time.”
She chuckled. “I won’t let you pay me. I was thinking that I could help you with advertising if you let me borrow a little money or bought an inexpensive used car for me.”
He rubbed a hand over his mouth. He liked the idea. He liked it more since she’d come up with it. But why even go back to Chicago when she could work outright for him? She’d mentioned she hated the city. From what she’d said, it wasn’t a safe place. She worked a lot of hours to pay her bills and save some. If she lived with him, she wouldn’t have to worry about working long hours, safety, or the stress of bills. If she lived with him, they could spend more time together. He would be happier. Wouldn’t she? She’d already said repeatedly how she loved the peace and quiet of the reserve. What valid reason could she have for not wanting to move in with him?
He started to propose the idea until he spotted the town in the distance.
“What do you think of my idea?” she asked.
“I think it’s excellent.”
“Yeah?” She beamed.
“Yeah.” He smiled at his Mrs. Right.
“I can get your artwork more exposure, which would hopefully lead to more sales for you. I might even be able to work things out so you can sell direct instead of through a gallery.”
“I’m not sure if you’ve thought about this or not, but what if…” He bounced his gaze between the road and her. “What if you moved here and became my assistant?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Actually, I have thought about it.”
“Really?” His heart jumped.
“Yeah. It makes sense, but it also makes me nervous. It would be a huge change for me.”
