Black Gold (26 page)

“I’ve waited my entire life to experience this.”

Shaun kissed her temple.
“I have to agree.”

Tears rushed into her eyes.
“It’s real then? You can hear me?”
He nuzzled her neck, licking where he’d marked her, and a shiver shook her against him, rubbing their skin together.
“You’re in my soul, love. Hearing you this way is just the icing on the cake.”

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147

Chapter Sixteen

Shaun stared across the Moonshine Pub at Gem, wondering how it was possible for them to be so connected, and him still have no bloody idea was going on in that pretty head of hers.

Odds were he was simply too stupid to read the signs.

A couple of women from the pack wandered over and joined the table, leaning in to chat with Gem and Caroline. The four ladies laughed freely, their heads close together. To their left, Gem’s father sipped from a large brandy glass, a group of old-timers gathered at his side shooting the breeze and trying to one up each other with fish stories. The stiff in the suit leaned on the wall, a dark pair of glasses covering his eyes.

Shaun shook his head and turned his gaze back to his mate. She was far more interesting to look at, even if the secretive glances being tossed his direction from the four women made him nervous.

“You going to tell me what’s got you looking so constipated?” Evan slammed a new beer on the table in front of him, then propped himself up on the tall stool to Shaun’s right.

Shaun took a constitutional swig of the brew before pointing the mouth of his bottle in the direction of the ladies. “I don’t understand what you’re doing with a human who’s not your mate, but hell if I’m going to give you shit when I’ve got a mate and don’t quite know what I’m doing either.” Evan lifted his drink and saluted him. “Women. Can’t live with them, can’t find the car keys without them.”

They set down their bottles at the same time, simultaneous sighs escaping as they stared at the women.

Shaun shot a glance at Evan.

Evan snorted.

Then the laughter set in for real, and they were lost. Shaun had tears streaming down his face right about the time Evan fell off his stool. Things kinda went downhill from there.

Every time Shaun managed to catch his breath, Evan started up again and set him off. Shaun clutched his stomach, the pain almost as bad as being beaten black and blue. Somehow they were both on the floor, dragging themselves up against the wall and hoping for a reprieve.

“Do I need to come and rescue you?”

The sweet touch of Gem’s voice in his mind hadn’t grown old. Not as they had traveled from the camp to the chopper, not over the past couple days as they’d shown her father around Whitehorse.

Black Gold

It calmed him and excited him all in the same breath. She was in his core, and he couldn’t imagine living without her.

“Nah, we’re okay. You having fun with the girls?”
He tried poking his head around the barstool legs to spot her face again.

“Yes, but what I’d like is…”

When she stopped, a touch of longing in her tone, it was enough to sober him up from his giggle fest.

He groaned as he slapped Evan on the shoulder, his stomach protesting as he sat up. “On that note, I’ll be back. My mate needs something, and your ugly mug just don’t cut it anymore.” Evan waved him off as they both rolled to their knees.

“Now you should know better than to stop in the middle of that kind of a sentence. Me being the
hound dog I am, I could find all kinds of fascinating ways to finish that thought.”
She watched as he approached, her dark lashes fluttering over her bright eyes. Her mouth curved in a smile meant all for him.
“That sounds more interesting than what I was going to ask.”
Shaun stopped at her side, nodding politely at the rest of the table. “Ladies. If you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow Gem for a few minutes.”

For a bunch of grown wolves, there was far too much winking and nodding happening as she took his hand. Shaun’s face grew hot at the blunt stares from Caroline and the other girls. What the hell had they been talking about, and holy shit, was he actually blushing?

This night got weirder by the minute.

Gem squeezed his fingers. “Where we going?”

Shaun tugged her close, his hand slipping to her lower back to keep them close. “Dance floor for now.”

They swayed easily, the music nice and slow. Gem draped her arms around his neck, the move lifting her breasts against him.

Hmmm
.

They danced, bodies comfortable, in harmony. Part of what he’d longed for was right there. Complete connection, total belonging. There was no question about that truth—he and Gem were together.

“Shaun, we need to make some decisions.”

He turned her slowly, holding on to the peace for one more moment. “There was only one decision that had to be made, love, and you already made it when you marked me.” Gem stiffened. “When…I marked you?”

Shaun nodded, attempting to guide her from the dance floor toward the open patio. “Come here, let’s not do this in the middle of the entire pack.”

She resisted. “No, this is as fine a place as any.”

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149

Vivian Arend

Somehow she twisted from his arms and took a spot a few feet from him. He missed her warmth immediately, and the sadness in her eyes haunted him. “Gem, what’s wrong?”

“Just because I marked you, and you marked me doesn’t mean you get to make all the decisions. I thought you understood that. I thought that was clear when we worked together, on the trail, when we escaped from being kidnapped.”

Complete confusion swirled around him. “Gem? You lost me. I just meant that—I mean, all I wanted to say, is that I love you.”

“I love you too, but…” She sighed, an aching, lonely sound, enough to break his heart.

Shaun scratched his head. “There seem to be whole gaps missing from this conversation. I’m not making any decisions. I’m telling you I’m willing to move south. Check it out for a while. Shit, maybe I’ll learn how to windsurf in your ocean. And I’ll take ballroom-dance lessons, or whatever the hell else you do for fun down south.”

Gem stared at him.

The entire bar seemed to hold their breath. The music faded, the
flap flap
flap
of the overhead fans loud in his ears.

She tilted her head to the side. “You…want to move south?”

Shaun caught her hands in his. “I want to be with you, wherever you want to be. If that’s back in Georgia, I’m not that old a dog. I can learn new tricks.”

She swallowed hard, her lower lip trembling. “You mean it?” He nodded.
“Of all the things in life I’m willing to give up, you’re not one of them. I need you, Gem.”
Gem threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. “I don’t know what to say. Really? You would give up your life here to be with me…?”

Her voice tightened, the words dying away.

He kissed her cheek gently. “Really. Why is that so hard to believe?”

“Because you love the north.”

Moving wouldn’t be easy, but it would work. He’d make it work.

“I love you more,”
he vowed.

She melted, her expression of complete adoration making his heart pound.

“I need time to settle details with Tad, and the business end of things. But other than that, I’m good.”

“That’s a fine young man you’ve got there.” Mr. Jacobs’ voice interrupted them, the swirl of others discussing his confession filling the air.

Gem turned to face her father, tucking herself against Shaun’s side in her usual position. “Daddy?” Jacobs lifted his glass at Shaun. “Nice to see that not all you young’uns are hoodlums and miscreants.

Love to show you the place. You play golf?”

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Black Gold

Oh boy. Chasing around a little white ball that had never done him any harm and beating it with a club. Exactly how he wanted to spend his days.
Not
. He took in a deep breath, and Gem’s scent filled his head.

That’s why he was doing this.

He smiled politely at her father. “No, sir, I don’t, but I’m game for poker.” The colonel’s brow rose. “We’ll see about introducing you down at the club, but I doubt we’ll have time to do it all while you’re visiting. I can’t imagine it’ll take Gem that long to pack.”
Pack?

Gem tugged him. “Oh dear, look at the time. We need to go—”

“Pack?” Shaun tilted his head at his father-in-law, wolf-style. “Why does Gem need to pack?” The old man grumbled for a moment. “To get her things together to move up here to be with you.

Since she told me that’s what she’s going to do.”

Gem stopped pulling. Shaun’s grin grew wider by the second.

“Oh,
that
reason for packing. How could I forget? Yes, we’ll only be down south for… How long did you say, love?”

He turned and batted his lashes at Gem. She answered sheepishly. “Three weeks. Isn’t that what we had talked about?”

“Of course. Silly me.” He nodded at Mr. Jacobs. This conversation was finishing elsewhere. “Excuse us, sir, things to organize.”

“No problem, I’ll be here with the boys. We’re going to a cancan show later.” Shaun tugged Gem by the arm and ducked into Evan’s office. Privacy, now, was required. He let his happiness show as he leered at her.

“I’m not even going to mention the fact you made plans without me.” She lowered her chin, but maintained eye contact. “Tell me you’re disappointed I want to live in the north. Go on, tell me, so I can call you a liar.”

His heart pumped like a jackrabbit in the midst of pursuit. “I can’t support you the same way that you’d be living at home. I’m willing to make some changes in career, so I’m not off flying as often—but once you’ve got your degree, I bet you can get a position with any of the environment groups here in the north. They’d love to have someone with your enthusiasm and background.” Gem nodded. “I’m not too worried about finding work, Shaun. My hesitation has been trying to figure out where I belong. I like being with you, and I like trying new things. I loved running in my wolf, and I don’t ever want to give that up.”

Thank God.
“I’m serious though, we can go south if you want to.”

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151

Vivian Arend

Gem smacked him on the chest. “What part of ‘I like the north’ did you not understand? There’s a lot here for me to experience. I’m sorry I pulled a fast one on you with my father, but I decided it was easier to simply let him know what I wanted.”

She snuck into his arms, and he held on tight. “Don’t think I’m going to be too upset about you going around me, not when it means I get to keep the two things I love the most.” Shaun lifted her chin and kissed her again, the deep layers of having a mate settling around him and filling him with contentment. She was there for him, she encouraged him. Didn’t seem to mind his rough edges.

Enjoyed spending time with him in the outdoors—he was in wolf heaven.

The kissing got a little rougher as she grabbed him by the jean pockets and tugged him closer. Just as it got real interesting, there was a knock on the door.

“Go away,” Gem growled.

Shaun laughed. “Gem, this is Evan’s office.”

She rested her forehead on his chest. “Shoot. Forgot about that part.” He opened the door to discover Evan leaning against the doorpost. “May I come in?” Shaun gestured to him magnanimously.

Gem had smoothed her skirt and stood politely to the side of the couch. “Sorry, Evan. I was a little distracted.”

The Alpha shrugged. “Changes in circumstances can do that to you. Congrats, I heard you’re planning on making the move permanent?”

She nodded. “If that’s okay with you.”

Evan dropped into his recliner. “Maybe.”

Shaun kicked Evan’s foot. “Maybe? What kind of bullshit answer is that?” There was a pause as Evan tilted his chair back. “I just want to make sure I’ve got the whole situation in the right light. You moving to Whitehorse permanently means you’re either in my territory and pack, or you’re in the Miles Canyon pack. Shaun is strong enough to be Alpha if he wanted to. Am I looking at needing to fight the two of you in the next couple years?”

Shaun couldn’t believe the turn in this conversation. “Why the hell would I want to take over the pack?”

“Because once you see something that needs to be done, with Gem chatting you up, you’re going to find that you’re doing the right thing all the time and suddenly it’ll be work, work, work for me to keep control of you.”

Gem laughed. “You’re pulling our leg. You don’t really think we’re going to take over the Takhini pack, do you?”

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Black Gold

Evan smiled broadly. “Actually, I was kind of hoping you’d become Betas for the pack. Saves us fighting and all that.”

It was like a curtain lifted. Somehow Shaun had known this was coming. “Betas? For Takhini?” Evan shook his head. “You have this issue of repeating everything I say. I’m using small words, Shaun. You want to help lead or not?”

Shaun stared across to where Gem leaned on the back of the couch. She had a secretive little smile on her face, and he paused. Holy shit. “You knew. You knew about this too, and you didn’t tell me?” Gem shrugged. “Caroline approached me earlier. She wanted to be sure I was okay with a human being a part of the pack.”

Damn, he was the last to learn anything. Still, ego aside for a minute— “Do you want this? You’ve given up your home in the south for me, do you really mean to give up your personal freedom and help run the insanity?”

“There’s a difference between not having something because it’s taken from you and offering to give it up. Huge difference.”

“Yes or no, love?”

Gem nodded. “I think it would be a lot of fun to try as new experience.” Shaun shrugged. “Can’t be worse than hanging out with Evan like I used to.” They grinned at each other. Shaun wanted to race over and pick her up, carry her all caveman-like down the hall to one of the back bedrooms. His wolf approved of both ideas. Damn thing was already preening from being given the Beta slot.