One Bear and a Baby: BBW Bear Shifter Baby Paranormal Romance (Who's the Daddy? Book 1) (8 page)

“And he found her just like that?”

“Not exactly.” She came and sat on the desk next to him. “They started by looking into this Detective Stanhope. It seems he swims in muddy waters.”

“He set Jenni up?” Cade asked.

“He is the obvious choice. He also bought a new house in Spain about six months after the evidence went missing. He told everyone an old aunt had died and left him some money. But money soon goes when you start spending it.”

“Now he wants more.” Cade’s anger bubbled up inside him. “He’s using Jenni again.”

“My guess is she is vulnerable. He tracked her down and is using the threat of either revealing her whereabouts or veiled threats about Maisie. Remember when she told you to stop looking for her?”

“She was warning me off because of Stanhope.”

“That’s what I think. The question is, does she know you still have Maisie? And has she told Stanhope?”

“Are we going to go and find out?” She tried to keep the concern from her face; she didn’t want Cade rushing in there, but she knew he deserved to know the truth. She also knew she would go with him, and watch his back.

“Yes. I can’t believe she is involved in this because she wants to be. But because she has to.”

“Although you have to be prepared to find that she is not being used, that she may be in on this too. People do strange things for money.” Her arms tightened instinctively around Maisie.

“I have to find out. Not only for me, but for Maisie,” he said firmly. “It’s not your fight, Isabelle. You don’t have to come with me.”

“Really? We’re mates, right? And are you going to tell me that if this wasn’t reversed, you would let me walk out of your life into danger?”

“Isabelle…”

“Don’t you dare tell me it’s different for you.” Her voice rose in anger, and she felt Maisie tense. “Sorry, sweetheart.”

“When Jenni gave Maisie to me, she didn’t say a lot, just looked as tired as hell. I offered her a place to stay; I said I could protect her. She said she would think about it, but then she left in the night, leaving a handwritten note and Maisie. In her note she said she couldn’t accept my offer, that it was too dangerous for Maisie to be near her, in case
he
found them. I can only imagine how bad it must have been. If I find out it was Stanhope who marked Maisie…”

“We’ll figure it out. Between us we will put it right,” she promised him, not because she couldn’t bring Maisie up as her own child, but because families belonged together. Mothers belonged with their daughters. Isabelle only hoped Jenni felt the same way, and didn’t turn out to be some coldhearted cop who had turned to the wrong side of the law.

“Yes, we will. I’ll take great pleasure showing Stanhope what it’s like to be the one who is bullied. I plan to bully him right into a confession.”

“Damn right!” Isabelle said, then covered her mouth. “Sorry, Maisie, we don’t need you learning those kinds of words.

“Let’s get going, we can hit the city before nightfall.”

“Right.” Isabelle got up. “We should get going. Will your parents look after Maisie while we’re away?”

“Yes, I’ve discussed it with them. They’re not happy about me going, but they understand.”

“I guess they’re worried they might not see you again for another couple of years.”

“No chance. I’m coming back here as soon as I can. Although I have no idea what kind of job I’m going to do.”

They left the office, Isabelle locking it up and then heading over to the town deputy’s house. Dan Fairfield worked as a part-time deputy and full-time carpenter. It gave him flexibility to drop everything if she needed him. They had a good working relationship and she knew she could trust him.

That hadn’t stopped her making a comprehensive plan of what he had to do, but she would only be going for a couple of days. She liked Tawny Valley, and planned to spend the rest of her life as the sheriff. As long as she could have Cade by her side.

Glancing across to the man who was her mate, as he pointed up at the birds, and then pretended to swoop down with Maisie in his arms, giggling hysterically, she couldn’t help but smile. This would all work out. It had to. But how was Cade going to feel if Jenni took Maisie back?

She wanted him to be happy, but a sense of jealousy crept over her, not about his relationship with Maisie, but with Jenni. Isabelle hoped the guilt he felt would never make him feel torn to do the right thing by Jenni.

He is
our
mate, no one else’s
, her bear confirmed.

“Ready?” he asked straightening up, with Maisie still in his arms, laughing and throwing her head back to look at the birds.

“As I’m ever going to be,” she said.

“I want you to know how much I appreciate this.” He looked at her earnestly.

“I thought you wanted me to stay here.”

“I want you safe. But I also want you by my side. We’re stronger together. I get that.”

“I thought you were just bringing me along for the sex,” she said and laughed.

“That is just a perk.” He stopped still and turned to her. “A very nice perk.” He leaned in and kissed her. “You know, Maisie’s first words are either going to be damn or sex. It’s going to happen.”

“Damn… Oh… You know, I might need to wash my mouth out.” She took his hand and they walked back to his house. There they collected his stuff and said goodbye to Maisie and his mom.

“Don’t worry, I raised you OK, she’ll be quite safe here.” His mom picked Maisie up and kissed her cheek. “This momma bear is going to take really good care of you. Grandpa bear is too. He is bringing you some nice bananas home later. You love banana pudding, don’t you, Maisie?”

Maisie cooed and slapped her lips in response, lightening the mood. “Thank you, Mom.” Cade kissed his mom, and then Maisie, before shouldering his pack and walking to the door. As he left, he turned around and waved to them both. “Bye.” They waved back, his mom wiping a stray tear from her cheek, and then he shut the door.

“It’s the right thing to do,” she told him as they walked back across town. They went into her house, which felt weird. Only yesterday she had been thinking of him and Maisie moving in with her; now they were about to leave town and had no real idea when they would return.

Soon
, her bear told her firmly.

As soon as we can
, Isabelle answered.
We have to do this for Cade and for Maisie
.

Her bear understood. Maisie was like a cub to them, theirs to protect.

“I’ll grab some things. Make yourself at home.” She headed for the stairs, but then turned and said to him, “I mean it, this is your home as well as mine.”

He smiled at her and shook his head. “It all seems so wrong. I’m supposed to be the provider.”

“And you will be. Again, if it was the other way around, you would insist what is yours is mine.”

He covered the short distance between them and pulled her to him, kissing her hungrily. His hands stroked her body, and she wanted to take his hand and drag him off to bed. Instead she settled for holding him close, feeling the strength of his body, hearing the beat of his heart, and tasting him on her lips.

“We need to go, it’s a long drive,” she said, reluctantly pulling away from him.

“I know.” He stood as the bottom of the stairs and watched as she walked up them; she could feel his eyes on her, and it inflamed her arousal, making each step harder. When they got to their hotel later today, she was going to make love to him, and then wake up in his arms tomorrow.

That’s what she told herself as she changed into jeans and a sweater, her eyes constantly drifting over to the bed, where she imagined them sleeping and making love for the rest of their lives once this was all over.

“Are we going to the hotel first?” he asked, as they arrived in the city he had lived and worked in for years. Back then it had seemed like home; he loved his job, loved the thrill and excitement of it all, but not now. Now he wanted a quieter life, with his mate at his side.

Yet being back here stirred something in him. A need for revenge. A need to put things right. He might not have protected Jenni before, but now he knew the true facts, he was determined to save her and reunite her with Maisie.

“I thought we could go to the hotel and freshen up, then we head over to the warehouses where Jenni operates from. They do keep clandestine hours,” Isabelle said, pulling off the road and turning off the ignition. “Home sweet home while we’re in town.”

“Right: room, shower, then work.” He opened the car door and got out, stretching, trying to unkink his muscles. “And food—I’m starving.”

“Good point. Maybe we can stop off somewhere on our way across town.”

“I know just the place,” he said.

They got out of the car and grabbed their luggage from the trunk. The hotel was decent enough, clean, and close to the station. Isabelle went and checked in, and then they went up to their room, where a double bed stood, beckoning them.

“I’ll shower first,” she said.

They were both hot and sticky after the ride, and it would be good to freshen up, because he knew that there was a chance they would not be seeing the inside of this hotel room, or any other, for a day or two.

He heard her switch the shower on and then sat down on the edge of the bed. Trying to make a plan was impossible, and Cade was the kind of man who needed a plan, but so much was outside of his control.

Except one thing. He got up and went into the bathroom. The steam was fogging up the mirror, and he could only make out the shadowy silhouette that was his mate. Stripping down quickly, he opened the shower door to a screech from Isabelle.

“It’s only me.” He grinned. “Or were you expecting someone else?”

“No. I’m used to living on my own, so I wasn’t expecting anyone.” She stood with her hands covering her body.

“I thought it would save time if we showered together, you know, I’ll wash your back, you wash mine.” He took the soap and began to make it into a rich lather. Then he rubbed the suds all over her body, until she relaxed and let her hands drop to her sides, while the water splashed down over her body. He wanted to lick it off, every last single droplet. He settled for massaging her breasts with the suds.

She was so soft and round, that was what he loved about her most, she was tough when she needed to be, but when they were alone like this she was soft and inviting, and oh, how he wanted to be invited.

His left hand slid down over her stomach, over her hip and then down along her thigh. A slight movement as she opened her legs wider was the invitation he desired to explore deeper. Much deeper.

He rubbed her clit, one finger sliding further back to dip inside her sex. She groaned, her hands going to rest on his shoulders for support as another finger slipped inside her. In and out he worked, while he lowered his head to suck on her nipples, feeling the water spray all over his face.

Isabelle moved her hand down to grip his cock, her hand sliding up and down, stimulating his nerve endings then sliding over the head making him thrust his hips forward. It was no good, the time for teasing was over, he was going to come in her hand very quickly if he wasn’t careful, from the feel of her hand on his hard cock. And damn, he was hard.

Slipping his fingers out of her, he placed his hand over hers and stilled her. Her eyes met his, and he leaned in to kiss her lips, the water covering their bodies, making her skin slippery, as he placed his hands under her thighs, and lifted her so that her back rested against the wall of the shower cubicle. She jumped at the coolness of the tiles against her skin, but then relaxed.

Holding her in his strong arms, he managed to guide himself into her. Her warm wet sex sheathed him, gripping him as he entered her. He closed his eyes, savoring the moment. She felt so good, wrapped around him like this. The closeness of her, the softness of her flesh, the taste of her on his lips as she cupped his face in her hands and kissed his lips.

In and out he thrust, his arousal so intense he struggled to hold himself together. He wanted to satisfy Isabelle before he came, but his control was slipping with every moment that passed, with every thrust of his cock inside her.

She moved, her hands on his shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh, her breathing ragged and he knew she was close too, that she was hanging on, and then the last thread anchoring her to this world came loose and she tensed in his arms, before her sex pulsed around him, setting off a chain reaction. He came, his seed spurting deep inside her.

The release was enormous, and he let himself go, let himself enjoy the feel of her as she came. His rhythm slowed, but even when he was spent he rocked his hips, giving her everything he had, until she slumped across his shoulder, her lips kissing his wet skin, while she murmured words in his ear that at some points in his past he had never expected, or wanted to hear.

“I love you, Cade.”

He held her, not sure if he could say the words back to her. Not because he didn’t feel the same emotion mirrored in himself. He had never told anyone other than his parents that he loved them, and it seemed an enormous step, as if he would be leaving everything he knew about himself behind. And when they were faced with the possible dangers ahead, he wasn’t sure if he could fully let go of who he thought he had to be.

Lifting his head, he looked deep into her green eyes, seeing the honesty there, the way they sparkled with love, and he understood. Understood that he had to let go of who he had been and embrace the man she made him. Together they would succeed, because they had to. They had a future together.

“I love you, Isabelle.” She smiled and kissed him, and his world shifted, while his bear roared his approval.

After they made love, they quickly finished washing each other, with kisses traded for soap and shampoo. Then they dried each other, with caresses and more kisses as they prepared for what was before them. She was under no illusion that this was going to be easy. Even if everything went completely as planned, Jenni could still end up in police custody. If they couldn’t prove her innocence, Maisie was still not going to go home to her mother.