Astrid Cielo (8 page)

"I
don't know...Maybe a little bit of reluctance with mating after watching my
parent's unhappy union."

Skylar
crowded her against the counter.

"You
didn't seem reluctant when I first met you."

Aspen
knew she was blushing, could feel her face heating under his close
scrutiny.
 
She pushed at his chest and
tried to make her voice sound light.

"That
was just a fuck."

Skylar
clasped her chin and stared at her for what seemed like hours.

"Don't
lie
, Aspen.
 
I
smelled your pain when I went back to your little apartment.
 
The grief enraged me so much I put a hole in
the bedroom wall.
 
I never meant to hurt
you Aspen."

Aspen
didn't want to cry.
 
Hated the way it
made her nose run and made it hard to breath, but she couldn't control the
tears once they started.
 
Skylar pulled
her into his arms and it only made her cry harder soaking his shirtless chest.

She
felt Xavier hold her from behind and cried even more.
 
It seemed that when she'd been ripped from
Andrew's arms she'd not had the chance to cry
herself
out.
 
Now she took that opportunity in
the arms of the man she'd wanted from the beginning, and one that she didn't
know she'd want.
 
How could she hold back
from these two when she wanted them so badly?

Because he left.

The
root of the problem, and she knew it was trust.
 
She didn't trust them to stay.
 
Why would they want her when they had each other?

Wasn't
it proof they would stick around if they were here when she'd done nothing but
cry and refuse them at every turn?
 
It'd
only been a day, she could get to know them and take things day by day.
 

How
can I forgive him?

He
did come back
,
her cougar reminded her.

So,
Aspen took a deep breath and made the resolution to get to know the two males
that held her while she cried.
 
These two
males that made her want to strip and lick them, made her want to watch as they
stripped and licked each other, and most of all made her heart beat just a
little bit faster when they entered the room.

"I'm
hungry."

Aspen
giggled at the little voice, so demanding at only three years old.
 
It must
be a man thing
, she thought to herself.
 
The thought only made her laugh harder.

"I
love that sound," Skylar said tipping her face to his and kissing her on
the nose.

Aspen
smiled and Skylar wiped away her tears.

"Better?"
 
Xavier whispered in her ear.

Aspen
nodded.

"Hello.
 
I said I
is
hungry."

She
looked down at the little boy who was pulling on her shorts.
 
Skylar and Xavier backed away from her and
she stooped to Gunner's level.

"Okay,
Gunner, I've got pancakes and omelets.
 
What's it going to be?"

Gunner's
face scrunched up as though in serious thought and she realized this was the
first time she'd ever seen the little boy so up close.
 
Sure at gatherings and Miranda's she'd seen
him plenty, but never
close
enough to inspect.
 
When Miranda was around there was no one that
could hold a candle to her in Gunner's eyes.
 
She took in his brown hair with strands of auburn and big hazel eyes
that were like his mother’s.
 
A
smattering of freckles covered his nose and cheeks.
 
Essence didn't have freckles and she and
Zackary both had light strawberry blonde hair.

He
must have gotten the brown hair and freckles from his father.

"What's
a
ohmleet
?"

Aspen
laughed.
 
"An omelet is eggs with
something in the middle.
 
I put ham and
cheese in these omelets."

Gunner
shook his head.
 
"I want
pancakes."

Xavier
picked the boy up and Gunner squealed with glee as he placed him on Skylar's
shoulders to be taken to the table.
 
Xavier turned and grabbed the plate of pancakes and some syrup and
followed.
 
Aspen gathered the rest of
breakfast and joined them.
 
She was
amazed to see Skylar fixing Gunner's plate, and although he didn't have as
natural of a way with children as Xavier did, she could tell that with a little
practice he would be a pro.

Xavier
pulled out a chair and Aspen took a seat.
 
She placed her hand over her abdomen as her mind showed her what life
could be with them.
 
She could finally
have a real family.
                    

***

Gunner laughed
as Skylar continued to tickle him while Xavier watched them from his position
in the foyer.
 
He picked up the drill and
put the finishing touches on the curtain rods that Aspen had stubbornly decided
she was going to install herself.
 
After
a brief conversation, she agreed to allow Xavier to hang them and the
curtains.
 

"No!
Mercy, mercy."

Xavier smiled
and climbed down the ladder.
 
Someday
soon it would be their children laughing.
 
Xavier had always loved kids, especially since he was the oldest of five
siblings.
 
He'd take care of his younger brothers
and sisters while his parents worked.
 
He'd grown up doing it and even after graduating college with a degree
in computer science he continued to do so.
 
He thought he and Sky wouldn't be able to have children, especially
since Skylar had always wished to remain a lone wolf.

Xavier
understood Sky's reluctance to join any pack.
 
Hell, he'd seen firsthand what Xavier's pack had done to him for
being...different.
 
Aspen walked into the
room, her smile devastating.
 
She didn't
know just how beautiful she was.
 
Gunner's laughter made his words almost unintelligible, but Xavier got
the gist.

"Help me,
Aspen!"

"Help
you?
 
Now why would I do a thing like
that?"

Skylar looked up
from his position on the living room floor and growled playfully at Aspen.
 
Aspen laughed and shook her finger at him.

"Bad
dog, bad."

Xavier laughed
and rushed in behind Aspen to pick her up.
 
She squealed and he placed her gently on the couch.
 
Her grey eyes lightened with her laughter and
she took his breath away with her smile.
 
He poised his hand and grinned at her.
 
She shook her head.

"Don't you
dare...
"

"Dare
what?"

Soon she was
laughing and struggling to get away as he tickled her.
 
Gunner's laughter continued as Skylar blew
raspberries on his stomach.

A knock at the
door stilled his tickling and Aspen lay beneath him her breathing erratic, and
her pale face flushed.
 
Beautiful.
 
His cock
hardened and his mind played over and over ways he could get her naked beneath
him.
 
The knock came again and he
stood.
 
Skylar and Gunner stopped their
play and Skylar stood.
 

"I'll get
it.
 
I think you two have someone to
punish."

Aspen gasped and
got to her feet to run, but Skylar was too fast taking her gently to the floor
where Gunner was waiting to resume the tickling.
 
Xavier laughed and went to the door.

His first
instinct was to growl at the male who stood at the door, but that was just the
mating heat talking.
 
He shook his head
and took him in.
 
Approximately
his height, about six feet one inch with strawberry blonde hair and tanned
skin.
 
His hazel eyes regarded him
with open curiosity.
 

"Hi, I'm
Zackary and I'm here to pick up Gunner."

Peals of
laughter flowed out the door and Xavier motioned for the male to enter.
 

"Look Uncle
Zack, I
gots
Aspen."

Zackary laughed
at the toddler who held Aspen's hands above her head while Skylar continued to
tickle her.
 

"I see
buddy.
 
Are you ready to go?"

"
Awww
, do we
hafta
?"

"Yes, we do
have to.
 
I've got a term paper due and
some studying; besides I need to get dinner started since Essence won't get
home until around five.
 
Hold on a
second..."

He picked out
his cell phone and answered turning away from the group.

Gunner released
Aspen and lie down
beside
her placing his head beside
hers.
 
He turned and placed his hand on
her cheek.

"I stay here
with you and Sky and
Zay
."

Aspen's eyes
filled with tears.
 
Damn this woman was
beautiful.

"I think
Zackary wants you to go home with him, baby.
 
I'm sorry," Aspen said.

"I come
over
nother
time?"

"Of
course, Gunner.
 
Anytime you like."

The little boy smiled
and Aspen smiled with him.
 

"I'm sorry,
but I don't have a babysitter, but I would love the hours," Zackary said
into his phone.

Xavier watched
the male hang up the phone and took in the boy’s appearance.
 
"Why don't you come into the kitchen
with me while Gunner finishes up with Sky and Aspen?"

Zackary absently
nodded and followed Xavier into the kitchen.
 
"So, why do you need the hours so much?"

Xavier wasn't
stupid, had seen the same look in his father's eyes lots of times.
 
It was hard to raise five kids even with the
pack helping out.
 
Zackary sighed.

"Just
a little extra money."

So, he wasn't
going to divulge all the information, that was fine, but if he and Sky were
going to be a part of this pride, as he assumed since Sky hadn't spoken a word about
returning to their former apartment, then they needed to start somewhere.

"Look, why
don't you go in to work, or hell,
go
do all your
homework and take a break.
 
Gunner wants
to stay anyways, and Sky needs the practice."

Zackary looked
undecided then sighed.
 
"I've not
had much time to myself since becoming beta and we really could use the extra
money...okay, but you can call me if Gunner gets to be too much."

Xavier rejoined
Sky, Aspen and Gunner in the living room.

"Good news
Gunner, Zack said you could stay."

"
Yay
!"

Zackary came out
of the kitchen.
 
"Thanks guys.
 
I'll be at Haven's if you need me, okay.
 
Oh and will you tell Essence I went in for some
extra hours."

“Of course,”
Xavier said.

"Bye
Zackary,” Aspen and Gunner said in unison.

He waved and
gone was the male from the kitchen and back was the almost goofy grin he always
seemed to sport.
 
There was something up
with Essence and Zackary, but looking at Aspen and Sky he knew he had some
bridges to gap right here.
 
Besides,
things usually worked out, right?

***

Andrew looked at
the job posting one more time, but couldn't bring himself to hit the apply
button.
 
He sighed.
 
Who was he kidding?
 
He wasn't a doctor--not a real one--of course
he had the degree that said different, but he knew the truth.
 

Dr. Weber had
urged him to apply for the emergency room physician position at Pinewood Creek
Hospital, but Andrew wasn't sure if that was the right thing--for him or his
patients.
 

"Fuck
it."