Chapter Nine – Teagan

Fern pressed a wet towel to her face. “They never tell you pregnancy makes you so blotchy.”

Teagan smiled at her friend’s reflection. They had gone together to the ladies’ room, leaving the two men to talk about their shared memories of growing up in Bear Creek. “It’s called glowing. You look great.”

“Liar. But thanks.” Fern looked at Teagan sideways. “Cal seems really nice.”

“He is,” Teagan agreed.

“But?” Fern asked.

“Is there a but?”

“Your face says there is.” Fern ran the towel under the cold water once more and pressed it to her cheeks.

“Don’t you wish we had this?” Teagan’s smile was melancholy.

“Had what? Growing up in Bear Creek?”

“Yes. Roots. Deep roots. I’ve always been happy with who I am, I had a good childhood. But there is this part of me that needs to know.” Teagan looked at Fern’s baby bump. “When I have kids, I want to know who their grandparents are.”

“There we differ. I know who my parents are, or at least my mom, and I don’t want her or my stepdad anywhere near my baby.”

“You haven’t told her?” Teagan asked.

Fern shook her head. “Does that make me a terrible person?”

Teagan frowned and said, “No, of course it doesn’t. I just…”

“We’re different. You live in hope and love. I live with a constant struggle to allow myself to accept that this is my life. A happy life. I can’t think about upsetting that.” Fern blotted a tear from her cheek. “I can’t take the risk that contacting my mom, and having to see my stepdad, will cause me pain. And I don’t want Theo to get dragged into that either. He’ll want to protect me.”

“They do like their protecting, don’t they?” Teagan asked.

“And rescuing. You were lucky Cal came along when he did.” Fern dried her face, and then turned to Teagan. “I’m ready to face the world.”

“I could have handled it.”

“Of course you could. You are Teagan, strong woman of Bear Creek.”

“I’m not so strong,” Teagan conceded. “I just don’t want to be the kind of woman who everyone thinks needs rescuing.”

“That is never going to happen. It was once. And as far as I know, Cal hasn’t told anyone.”

“Except for you and Theo, and his family. He has a big family,” Teagan said as they left the bathroom and headed back to the table.

“What are they like?” Fern asked.

“Really nice. Eccentric, but really kind and welcoming. And great huggers.”

“But you still want to find your own family?” Fern asked. They were still out of earshot from the men, who were talking in an animated way. Fingers curled like claws, it looked as if Theo was reenacting a fight.

“I do. I want to see if there is anything I can do for my mom. And I want to know the name of my father. I’ve asked Fiona to help.”

“Can she get your birth certificate? That should have your parents’ names on it.”

“She said she would do what she could. I promised her if my mom doesn’t want to see me, I will walk away.”

“And will you?”

Teagan gave a slight nod. “But I will still try to track my dad down.”

Fern slipped her hand into Teagan’s. “If you need me to come with you, I will.”

“Thanks, Fern.” Teagan pulled her friend into a hug, feeling her baby bump between them. “Be happy, Fern. I wish I could let this go and just be with Cal. But I can’t.”

“I understand,” Fern said.

“There you are,” Theo said, reaching out for Fern’s hand as she slipped into her seat beside him. “You look tired.”

“Thanks,” Fern said caustically. “Sorry.” She leaned on Theo. “I am tired. I just don’t like to admit it.”

Theo kissed her tenderly. “Let’s get you home.”

“Sorry to leave you so early,” Fern said.

“Don’t be,” Teagan replied. “You look after yourself and that little guy or gal.”

“We should go too,” Cal said evenly, but a thrill of excitement shot through Teagan at his words. Did he still intend to stay with her tonight? Talking with Theo and Fern had changed the mood between her and Cal. They had laughed, joked, and eaten until they were relaxed and content. Would the burning desire they had for each other reignite?

They settled the bill, Theo and Cal splitting it equally, despite Teagan offering to pay a share too. “You can take me out next time,” Cal said.

“So you think there will be a next time?” Teagan asked as he held the door of the restaurant open for her and the others.

“I most certainly do,” he said, falling into step beside her. “Unless that is enough dating? You know, come to think of it, we are mates, there’s no need to go out and enjoy ourselves.”

Teagan thumped him. “You, buster, are going to be spending a good many nights on the sofa if that is your attitude.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “I was thinking we could forgo dates, and just get down to other things.” He nipped the lobe of her ear, sending shockwaves through her body. Then he released her, as Fern and Theo turned to say their goodbyes.

“Have a great rest of the evening, you two,” Fern hid a smile.

“We most certainly will,” Cal said. He leaned forward and kissed Fern on the cheek, and then shook Theo’s hand. “It’s been good to catch up, Theo.”

“It has. We should go for a run over the mountain sometime,” Theo offered.

“That would be good.” Cal put his arm around Teagan. “We could all go, if Fern doesn’t mind.”

“No, take him, get him out from under my feet.”

“Bye, guys, see you tomorrow.” Teagan hugged them both, and then watched them get in their car. She and Cal waved them off. “What now?” she asked as Theo’s truck drove out of sight.

“What do you want to do?” Cal asked.

“Go back to the house.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

“Yes.” She looked at him shyly, her hair across her face, hiding herself from him. Her heart beat so fast, boom, boom, boom. “If that’s what you want.”

“There is nothing else I want in the world right now. Just you and me together.”

They drove back to the mansion in relative silence. Teagan’s tongue seemed too big for her mouth, and her brain seemed to have stopped processing thoughts. Every time she opened her mouth to say something, the words slipped away, so she settled for looking out of the window as Cal steered the truck toward her temporary home.

The gates opened so slowly, Teagan had never noticed how slow they were until now. In her need to be in Cal’s arms, she was tempted to get out of the truck, and push them to open faster. Finally, he drove the truck through and the gates closed behind them, sealing them in and sealing the world out.

Cal parked the truck, and they both got out and walked to the house. Teagan retrieved the key from her purse and unlocked the door, only just managing to keep her hand steady as she inserted it in the lock. Behind her, Cal stroked her body with his, his arms encircling her and pressing against the doorframe, his lips on her neck.

“You are not making this easy.”

“Sorry.” He breathed in her scent and let it out slowly. “I have been waiting for this moment since forever.”

“You mean for the last three hours?” The door finally swung open, but she didn’t enter the house, she turned to face him, to face this man who was hers.

“No, I meant forever. Before I met you, I dreamed of this moment. Of having my mate in front of me, of kissing her skin, and peeling her clothes off.”

“And then what?” she breathed against his mouth.

He moved, his lips on hers, a kiss, deep and fierce, his tongue entwining with hers, igniting her desire. “And then I pick her up, and carry her to bed.”

“I can walk.”

“I know.”

He pressed forward, and she took a step backward, entering the house. Cal kicked the door shut behind them, his eyes intense flames of desire as they devoured her body. He was a predator, and she was his prey. Yet she wasn’t anyone’s prey. She was a bear, fierce and strong, a predator in her own right.

Despite her innocence, she was going to be part of this. If he was going to peel her clothes off, then she would do the same. Although carrying him to bed, that was beyond her strength, she might have to let him have his own way with that one.

Teagan stepped forward, her fingers on the hem of his shirt, and she tugged it up, not sparing the time to undo the buttons. Cal raised his arms and she pushed it upwards, as far as she could reach. He helped her, since he was too tall for her to reach, casting his shirt to the ground.

“My turn.” He pulled the wrap out of her hands. “Better.” He bent his head and kissed her naked shoulders, pulling the arms of her dress down as he circled his tongue around and around. Her stomach tightened, and heat pooled between her thighs. A dull ache inside her begged for attention.

While he kissed her, Teagan explored the contours of his body. Fingertips trailed across his skin, feeling the hard muscles, and the softness of his skin. He shivered when her fingers touched the hard buds of his nipples, and she lowered her head to graze her teeth over them.

“Not fair.” He undid the buttons of her dress, and pushed it off her shoulders, leaving her standing in her panties and bra. “Better.” His fingers unclasped her bra. “Much better.”

“You skipped a turn,” Teagan said, trying to think rationally, while he tried to turn her brain to mush with his fingers and mouth. Her hand grasped his belt buckle and she pulled it, her hands shaking as she finally freed it and pushed his pants to the floor. She had seen him naked before, but he looked even more awesome tonight.

Her hand grasped his cock, and she stroked his hard length, a groan escaping his mouth as she moved. “My turn.”

Cal hooked his fingers into the elastic of her panties and pushed them down over her curvy thighs. Lower he pushed them, bending down to help her step out of them. She took the opportunity to step out of her shoes too. Naked and barefoot, she stood before him, so wet, so ready for the rest of forever with her man.

Cal stroked her stomach, moving his hand lower, to rub lightly across her mound, touching her clit, which throbbed with a need of its own. Teagan wanted to grab his hand, and make him touch her there, at the center of her need. But Cal decided it was time for bed.

Bending down, he lifted her up, and carried her to the stairs. Sure-footed and confident, he mounted the stairs, his legs and arms strong. She hadn’t been carried since she was a child, but her childhood was far behind her and tonight she would become a woman in every way.

He took her to her room, where only yesterday he had danced for her, and placed her on the bed. Cal stood back, gazing at her for a long moment, before kneeling on the bed beside her. “You are beautiful.”

“You are easy on the eyes yourself.” Teagan reached out and stroked his face. “Very easy.”

Cal leaned forward and kissed her lips, and then her cheeks, working his way along her neck, and lower, until his mouth closed over her nipple. His teeth tortured the taut bud, and when her back arched, he took advantage of her movement and slipped his free hand down her stomach to caress her clit. His fingers were light, but incredibly stimulating. She didn’t think she could get any wetter, but that wasn’t true.

Everything else in the world fell away. All that existed was Cal, and the bed on which she lay.