Tempted by the Bear - Complete (21 page)

A
nnie

B
ecause I’ve already had
one fancy wedding, I don’t want my second one to be too much. I sigh as I take my cup of coffee outside to wander through my gardens. The early morning air is cool, and my feet dampen with dew. Of course, the moment Tristan pointed out that I also become a prima that day, my idea of a simple garden ceremony with just immediate family was scrapped. Instead, I’m going to have to invite the other alpha leaders in our council, which means Richard and Marion Robichaux as well as Lily and Patricia Veilleux.

Lily is a human who the Le Roux called. Unfortunately, she ended up being Victor Veilleux’s true mate and is now his widow, a stepmother to infant triplets and the acting leader of her clan until one of her children is old enough to take over. She’s also my friend.

I stoop down to yank at a weed. The earthy scent that follows wafts up my nose. I imagine it’s stressful to have a clan that lacks an alpha. And I chide myself for not doing a better job of keeping in touch with her. I pull out my phone to send Lily a text and arrange a lunch date. We’ve got a lot to catch up on.

Once I’m done texting, I resign myself to returning inside to make the guest list. The number will determine the rest of my plans. But I already fear my wedding is going to be a big affair despite my wishes. My stomach rolls with nerves as a greater concern floods my mind. I need to understand what I’ve taken on with Tristan’s girls and Helga. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy conversation.

The screen door slams behind me as I enter the house, and Tristan smiles at me when I enter the kitchen. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist as he pours a cup of coffee. “Just the man I need to see.”

He turns, breaking my embrace, and lifts my chin to give me a quick kiss. “I’m all yours, love. What do you need?”

“Explanations.”

His smile falls. “Yes. I suppose you do. Where is my mother?”

“She went out for a run a little while ago. That woman doesn’t sleep much.” The girls have adjusted to the time difference, and we should have a half hour before they wake.

“No. She doesn’t.” A chair scrapes against the tile as he pulls it out from the table to sit.

I seat myself across from him and take the hand he offers. “Tell me about her condition. I suspect she has mental issues.”

He nods. “My mother is bipolar.” He lets out a tiny laugh that is not from amusement. “Got to love the irony of that one. Anyway, all human medications for it don’t work, and as far as I know, there is no medical way to contain her mood swings.”

My knowledge of the condition is not vast, and I ask, “Explain how they work in Helga’s case.”

“She seems to follow the patterns of the sun. And if I’m correct, it’s the arctic pattern, since she’s not crashing at night here. Right now she’s approaching her manic phase and will be harder to contain each day until the summer solstice.”

“Contain?” Visions of a cage come to mind. “How exactly do you do that?”

“We keep an eye on her. She tends to make crazy decisions and do odd things. He glances out the window at the flower beds. “Like plant an entire set of gardens overnight.”

“Oh, Tristan.” I gaze outside at the array of color and recall how I showed her videos online to learn about gardening and then she took it upon herself to stay up all night to plant my flower beds. “That’s tough. Has she always been like this?”

“Yes. I’m sure you can imagine my childhood now.”

I frown, because while a crazy mother who has too much energy must have been difficult, it doesn’t seem that bad. But that’s her manic phase. I ask, “What about the other half of the year when it’s dark?”

His brow furrows, and he takes a deep breath through his nose before blowing it out. I watch his nostrils enlarge as he does. “Humans get depressed and enter a dark phase of their life where they contemplate suicide. My mother does not.” He takes a sip of his coffee as if he’s trying to find courage in the caffeine. “She gets angry. Her rages make Isabelle’s forest tantrum look like a hissy fit.”

I take a deep breath as well while I fathom what that means. I recall how Isabelle went on a rampage the day Tristan and I sealed our mate bond within hearing distance of her. She thrashed her way through our woods and did enough damage to clear a wide trail. The implications of what my mate said hit me. “Oh my god.”

“God has nothing to do with this. Satan does.”

“Oh, Tristan.” I squeeze his hand. My heart hurts imagining what his childhood had to have been like. “What do we do when September comes?”

He removes his hand from my grasp and closes his fingers into a fist as his stare becomes blank. My mate’s voice is distant when he says, “We contain her. Because it’s my duty to keep her and the clan safe.”

I ask the question I should be afraid to speak. “Has it always been this way?”

Tristan gazes at me without words. He appears to be struggling with what to say, because his chest rises as if he’s going to speak but then falls again. When he finally does, it’s telepathically.
“As long as I can remember. My father didn’t have the heart to do what is necessary, but I do. My— Our daughters will never be subjected to my mother’s hand ever again.”
He growls loudly and slams his fist on the table hard. A loud crack sounds as he breaks the wood, and his eyes flash. “Never.”

I’m afraid of him for a moment, but his face softens when we both detect the rustlings of the girls waking. There’s a large crack in the tabletop, and I quickly fabricate a story for us. I glance up at the ceiling.
“We’ll tell them the chandelier fell on it.”

Tristan nods as he rises to go refill his coffee cup.

Footsteps patter as the girls come into the kitchen, and my mate’s face begins to glow as their voices call out, “Daddy!”

He squats down in an uncharacteristic move and scoops them up. “Good morning, little ones.”

They revel in his attention, and he chuckles as tiny arms wrap around his neck. I watch as their unconditional love transforms the angry man into the vision of a loving father. And I hope that what I’m witnessing is the sign of what’s to come.

I’m startled out of my fantasy when the table crashes to the floor, and I jump. I guess the crack managed to spread completely when I notice it’s now it two pieces. I say, “Goodness. Girls, would you believe the light fell down last night and broke the table?”

They walk over to inspect the damage, and Ellie says, “That’s craziness.”

I glance at Tristan and see his jaw is clenched. Because she’s spot on.

L
ucy

T
he one good
thing about staying on top of my classes this semester is that I felt confident about all of my finals. I can count on As and Bs if calculus pulls through for me. My satisfaction adds a little bounce to my step as I walk toward Ink It. I’m done for the summer, and I look forward to goofing off when I’m not working. Music blares from the open window of a car that passes, and the tune sticks in my head until I get to the door. I need to talk to Carly about Tori seeing Patricia, and there’s nothing uplifting about that.

Carly is behind the counter when I enter, and she smiles at me. I glance around the waiting room quickly to make sure nobody can overhear us and say, “I need to tell you something important.”

She stands and says, “Sure. Let’s go get coffee.”

I tuck my wristlet on a shelf and follow her. When we get there, I say, “Tori and Keith have decided to try a relationship.”

Carly nods, and I continue. “And they had their first date yesterday. While they were having lunch at the Cat’s Meow, I think Tori met Patricia.”

My sister asks, “How do you know?”

“Tori said that when Keith saw the woman she met in the bathroom, he told her to never talk to her again.” Now Carly’s brow knits, and I say, “I never really thought about it, but Tori looks an awful lot like a Veilleux, don’t you think?”

“She does. It’s the eyes.”

I say, “I think so, too.”

“Wow. So did they talk to each other?”

“As much as someone does in a bathroom. But Patricia definitely knows she’s here. What if she’s a Veilleux? Do you think I should be worried?”

“I do. Thanks for telling me. I’ll talk to Keith.”

I glance at the coffee, but my fear for Tori has me on edge now, and I don’t think I need caffeine, too. I grab a plastic cup and pour myself water instead.

My shift is uneventful, and during the off time when I usually practice tattoos, I find myself sketching images of Sven from memory. I amuse myself by drawing him in various states of disrobing and shifting. I’m so engrossed in the details of his paw that I don’t look up when the door opens and a customer walks in.

I jump when a dark shadow leans over me to peer at my paper. And I glance up to discover a smiling Sven. “Is that me?”

“I—” I sigh.

His grin covers his face as he says, “Still having trouble with your words?”

I squint at him. “You seem to have that effect on me. I’m struggling to be polite.”

He chuckles, and I notice a dimple in his left cheek. It’s so adorable I’m no longer annoyed at his teasing. “I’m here to make you happy,” he says.

“Are you now? And how do you plan to do that?”

“By taking you out for ice cream.” He pushes his hands into the pockets of jeans that fit his hips, and I guess they’re new. I notice he’s even in a clean T-shirt without holes or stains. “I’m told that American women like dates before sex.”

I cover my mouth to hide my giggle. I’m trying to picture Brady and Carly teaching him about courtship in the United States.

Now Sven squints at me. “What’s so funny? Do you not like dates?” He pushes a lock of hair out of his eyes, and I wonder what he would say to a haircut.

I shake my head. “I do. I’d love to have ice cream with you.”

Carly hears us and pops her head out of her room. “You go ahead. I can close up.”

I wave at her with a smile. Sven must have told her we’re true mates, because she’s doing everything she can to make our relationship happen.

I watch Sven duck under the doorway when we leave. I never thought I’d end up with a man who makes me feel so small. I’m six feet tall and not tiny in any way. I grab my polar bear’s hand, and his warmth is comforting.

Sven glances down at our connection and smiles. He gives me a squeeze, and that warmth seems to wrap around me like a lazy summer day. I ask, “What have you done since I saw you last?”

“Annie took me shopping.” He plucks at his shirt. “Do you like my new look?”

“Yes. Clean suits you.”

“What did you do?”

“I studied and took a final. But now I’m done for the summer.” We’re walking slowly, and I glance at our reflection in a store window.

“Carly told me you go to college, and you want to be an artist.”

“That’s true. I’m almost ready to start giving people tattoos.”

We’re approaching the ice cream shop in town, and there’s a line of people waiting at the take-out window. A sign listing the flavors is nailed on the wall, and I lead us over to it.

Sven glances at me. “Do you have a tattoo?”

“No.” I grin at him. “But I probably should if I expect people to come to me for them. What do you think it should be?”

“A polar bear.” His smile is big.

I bump against him as we stand in front of the sign. “Okay, but you might need a black bear to match.”

Sven slips his arm around my waist. “I’ll be your first customer.”

We fit together comfortably, and I reach around him to place my hand on his hip, too. “What are you going to get?”

“There are so many choices. What’s your favorite?”

“I like peppermint stick. It reminds me of Christmas.”

“Then that’s what I’ll have, too,” he says.

While people are glancing at us because of Sven’s height, I notice girls and women are looking at more than just how tall he is. They find my sexy bear attractive, too. But he doesn’t seem to be aware of it, and his attention is devoted to me.

After we get our cones, we find a place to sit on the picnic tables set out for customers. Creamy flavor coats my tongue as I lick, and I ask, “Besides Tristan and Isabelle, you’re the first to come. When are the rest of the De Roziers due to arrive?”

“Once they have a place to live. I’m here to help build it.” He’s taken my lead and is licking his cone slowly instead of devouring it like he did lunch the other day.

I say, “So you’re a carpenter.”

“It’s one of the many things I do.” He winks. “I’m good with my hands.”

A vision of where I’d like them to be flashes in my mind, and my skin tingles. Sven reaches for my free hand and grasps it. His callused thumb is rough against my skin as he rubs it. His voice is low so that only a bear can hear. “I can’t wait to show you.”

My tingle ramps up to desire, and I lick ice cream off my lips before I reply just as quietly, “I’m pretty good with mine, too.”

Sven lets out a low rumble and leans in to kiss me. It’s controlled and appropriate for public, and when he stops, he shakes his head. “You test me, little bear.” He glances around quickly.

“You’ve got an A so far.” But he got me so distracted that ice cream is dripping over my hand, and I lift my cone to clean up the mess with my tongue. I stop when my mate’s heated stare makes me aware that he’s watching. I guess he imagines me licking something else. When he swipes his tongue slowly around his ice cream without breaking our gaze, I let out a shaky breath, because now the dirty thoughts are mine.

I crunch into my cone to keep myself from jumping on him, and Sven says, “I understand now why girls like to go for ice cream.”

I chuckle as I stand up and say, “Let me show you how the next part of the date goes.”

He follows me as I start to walk away and asks, “What happens next?”

I turn around and move backwards as I speak. “It’s when we get to make out.” I remember how he said he’d enjoy chasing me, so I turn forward and run. My car is around the corner, and Sven must enjoy the chase, because he doesn’t catch up to me until I get there.

Leaning against the door, I’m panting from the exercise and he steps in close to press his body against mine. He says, “This might be my favorite part.”

When his mouth takes mine, I think,
Mine too.
Sweet flavor quickly gives way to something so sensual that my whole body tastes it, and I can’t get enough. I move my hands down his back, and cords of muscle are hard against my palms as I hold him tightly.

Sven keeps his hands in respectable places, and I moan as I squirm against him. He relieves my ache when he moves his thigh between my legs, and I move my hands under his shirt to feel his skin. The heat radiating from his body sears my fingers, and I break away to catch my breath. “We should go someplace.”

“We can’t.” Sven takes a deep breath and steps back. “I’m only supposed to kiss you.” His eyes twinkle. “But they didn’t give me any rules about the second date.”

I reach out and tug on his shirt to pull him back. “No? I’m free tomorrow night.” I slide my hand into one of his back pockets and squeeze his firm butt cheek. “Because I want to get to know you better.”

He growls before kissing me again. This time he makes it all tongue and hungry nips that make me want to strip him naked and let him screw me the way he promised the first day we met. I’m not sure what’s come over me, and I don’t care. When Sven moves away from my mouth and starts on my neck, I know I’ve reached the point of no return, because I’m dangerously close to begging him to bite me.

Our bodies vibrate with the low rumble of his bear, and his animal teeth poke out and graze my neck. I whimper a soft, “Please.”

Once again, it’s Sven who manages to control us. He steps back to rake his hand through his hair and says, “Soon, little bear. Soon.”

I nod as he backs away. He grins as he gives me a wink and turns to leave. I hug myself as a tiny shiver runs through me.
I’m ready, big bear.