Bear's Gold (Erotic Shifter Fairy Tales) (15 page)

“Tell me what happened to your
wife.” Curiosity had played in her mind ever since the second night she had
been there and she’d been in the boys’ room reading to them. The picture of a
beautiful brunette woman with short blunt cut hair sitting against one of the
large redwood trees of the area with a twin in each arm had haunted her. The
boys looked to be roughly around a year old. Since there weren’t any other
pictures in the house of the woman, she wondered if Theo had taken them down
because it hurt too much to have those blue eyes staring back at him daily.

Theo stroked her hair, and remained
silent. She knew he wasn’t asleep and figured he was going to pretend he had
not heard the question. If he couldn’t speak about his wife she would respect
that, but it gave a jolt to her heart thinking how much he must still love the
other woman. She knew she shouldn’t allow that thought to bother her, because
this was just a passing thing. Calming the sexual need they both had, nothing
more. However, even as she told herself that it still bothered her.

She’d just closed her eyes, willing
herself to let it go and sleep when she heard his low words.

“Cindy and I married shortly after
the fall festival five years ago.” His hand never stopped fingering her thick
tresses as he spoke. “We’d grown up in Den together, as most people who found
mates. In Den, once two people recognized they are compatible, the courtship is
fairly short. Especially because of the long extended winters, people are
married on the day of the first snow fall to give couples all winter to get to
know each other and get pregnant.”

“Wow, you all take this be fruitful
and multiply thing pretty seriously.”

“You could say that. However, most couples
only have two to three children in the county. A lot of the males don’t
necessarily return back to Den after they go out on their own.”

“But you came back?”

“I did.” He sighed. “There were
moments that I wasn’t sure if I would return. I was away for many years. I felt
for a while that there was something else out there for me…someone else. But, I
love Den and since I could never put my finger on where else my senses were
trying to take me, I came home. That year I developed a bond with Cindy so it
was a moot point.”

Riley couldn’t help but sympathize
with Theo and having a knowing absent feeling inside and not knowing what could
fill it. “I know how you feel—searching for something. It’s the reason I’ve
moved around so much since leaving college. I’ve always believed there was
something for me out there and I’d know it when I found it, but I never did.
Now I’m headed back home.” She sighed. “At least you found Cindy. What was she
like?”

“Sweet and gentle, but protective
and determined when it came to the boys.” He fell silent and his hand stilled.
Then he said, “On the day she and the boys were out for a walk and she was set
upon by the wolves she managed to keep the boys from getting hurt and back to
our house, even though she was badly injured.”

Even though his voice was low, Riley
could hear the pride in his words for the woman who had borne him two sons and
saved their lives.

Lying there in Theo’s arms, Riley
wanted to bring him comfort as she wrapped her arm around his broad chest.

“I’m sure it hurts to see pictures
of her.”

“More for the boys. As much as I
don’t like it, I understand nature has a timetable for every living thing. I
may not care for it, but I have to deal with situations. For them it seemed to
take longer to heal if every time they looked around they saw her.”

“It is a good thing they had you to
help them through it.”

“I hope so.”

“Are wolves prevalent in this area?”
Hearing about the attack, she was concerned about Theo going out at night alone
to check the property.

“No. They weren’t then either, just
some rogue pack that wandered into our territory. They’re no longer a problem,
the men of Den made sure of that.”

Territory? Mates? Scenting? The
people of Den County had a culture all their own.

“That’s good to know.” Squeezing
him, she said, “I’m sorry about the loss of your wife.”

He kissed her forehead and resumed
playing in her hair, but remained silent. Time passed with neither of them
speaking, and no matter how much she tried to fight it, she lost the battle of
sleep and drifted off, serenaded by his heartbeat and wrapped in his arms.

Chapter
Ten

Theo opened his eyes and stared down
at the woman in his arms. She was turned away from him, her ass pressed back against
him. It would be dawn soon, his internal clock never failed; it was his
Were-bear sense. As winter came in, they would sleep more, which meant to bed
shortly after sundown but still up with the sun. That meant his sons would be
rising soon. He knew he should leave Riley’s bed before they woke. He didn’t
want to confuse them. They missed their mother and during the five days Riley
had been with them, he could see how his boys were starting to connect with
her. As young bears they would yearn for the security of a mother to show them
tenderness and protection, even more than papa whose job in normal situations was
to show them strength and how to be independent males.

Last night he’d opened up to her in
a way that surprised him since he’d kept himself guarded from others. He never
spoke about his wife unless his boys asked a question. He had guilt about not
being there when Cindy and the boys needed him, even though he knew he couldn’t
be everywhere all the time. As a Were-female, Cindy was perfectly capable of
taking care of her cubs, but he could not help wondering if he’d been around
would there be a different outcome. Shaking away those thoughts, he refocused
on the woman in his arms. His guilt returned for a moment as he faced the fact
that he’d never felt the same insanity of emotions with Cindy as he did with
Riley. Why that was he didn’t know. Cindy was at least Were. Riley was
just
a human—there should be no connection. In the shower, he didn’t miss the mind
share when his bear had once again projected the image of her as a golden bear
and the two of them running together. He’d felt Riley’s mind open up and the
link between them. Only one bite. It should not be happening.

Using his fingers, he brushed her
wild strands away from the side of her face and took in every aspect of her features.
His boys weren’t the only ones who were feeling a bond to Riley. But she wasn’t
a part of his world. Den County’s life wasn’t for this city girl. Although he
couldn’t help but recall how well she’d joined into the town activities and
socialized with the inhabitants in the last five days. At times, he could feel
a part of him urging him to tell her about them, see her response. Let her choose.
But, he couldn’t risk it. If she rejected him, his ways or his boys it would
destroy him—better to let her go.

That had been the reason last night
in the shower he’d fought his bear so strongly. His bear had wanted to bite her
and claim her as his for the second time. His upper canines had lengthened and
ached as his bear demanded he mark her. He’d barely turned his face away from
her tempting neck before he took his bear up on his bidding. If Riley had
managed to turn his face back to her, it would have been very apparent to her
that the man who was buried to the hilt inside of her wasn’t her average male.

He desired more than his next breath
to linger in bed with her, but he couldn’t. Last night after he brought her
back to the room, he should have went to his own, but if it was going to be the
last night with her in his arms, he wanted the whole night. It was time for him
to go. He couldn’t delay the inevitable any longer. Jack had assured Riley her
car would be ready today and he believed the mechanic. Today was it.

Taking in her lovely golden brown
face one last time, he wanted to wake her up and kiss her, but knew if he felt
her lips on his, tasted her again he’d never be able to walk away. Even now, it
was hard as he felt her warm supple flesh against him and the combined scent of
their essence still coating Riley’s body.

She’s mine.

Exhaling a long breath, Theo didn’t
debate the words of his bear, instead he steeled himself and slipped his arm
from under her head and pushed from the bed. He didn’t pause; in one smooth
motion he scooped the towels up and exited the room; not allowing himself to
glance back.

~YH~

“Papa-Bear, can we go get honeycombs?”
Bernie jumped up and down before his father.

“Hmm. I don’t know if you deserve
it.” Theo, dressed similar to his sons in a flannel shirt, jeans, and boots,
placed his fist on his hips and stared down at them.

“We do, Papa-Bear. We cleaned up all
of our toys and were quiet while Miss Riley slept.” Aubrey pleaded their case
as he joined his brother in jumping.

Riley didn’t even try to hide her
smile as the two boys begged, danced around, and tried to cajole their dad to
give in. They had just arrived in town. The boys told the truth, like always
she was the last one to rise. When she woke, disappointed that Theo was no
longer in bed with her, she’d seen the evidence of his being there when she saw
her clothes she’d worn the day before clean and folded at the foot of her bed. Her
body had felt tender and well loved. Smiling she’d gotten up from the bed and
was shocked to see that the scar on her thigh was completely healed over, gone.
It had taken her a minute to convince herself that the wound had not been as
serious as she’d believed. Or that possibly Kaley had some kind of magic
solution she’d placed on it in the first aid tent. Showered and dressed she
joined them for a breakfast of honeyed porridge and honeyed apple cider. Since
she’d been in this town she’d develop just as much of a craving for the sticky
sweet natural substance as everyone in Den.

“Maybe after we check on Ms. Riley’s
car if we have time before the talent show,” Theo told his sons.

Riley watched the twin crestfallen
faces. She didn’t want to be the cause for their little broken hearts. Glancing
at Theo as they all stood by the truck parked behind the general store. “I’d
like one, too. So, how about I walk them over to the fairgrounds and get
honeycombs and we can meet you there after you touch bases with Jack. I’m sure
he isn’t finished yet so there’s no need for me to be there.”

His dark gaze held hers, his eyes
caressed her features and she looked down. She’d kept herself all morning from
looking at him because it pulled at her heart every time. She’d be leaving too
soon and she had to keep her distance.

“If you’re sure.” Theo’s voice was
rough, but controlled as if there was something more he wanted to say to her,
however, he didn’t.

“I am.” She glanced back up and gave
him a small smile then met the gaze of the twins’ bright, happy eyes.

“Yes!” Aubrey cheered.

Theo pulled his wallet out of his
back pocket and handed her a few bills. “They will probably want something to
drink afterwards.”

“Okay.” She took the money.

She barely had enough time to shove
the bucks into her pocket before Bernie took one of her hands and began pulling
her in the direction of the treat he desired.

“See you later, Papa-Bear.”

“Bye, Papa-Bear.” Aubrey trotted to
her other side and took hold of her free hand.

She glanced over her shoulders
laughing and saw Theo shaking his head and grinning at his sons, but when he
looked at her, his eyes flashed metallic. Licking her lips, she turned and
looked forward. This man was too addicting. Exhaling, she focused on the small
boys on either side of her. They were sweet, well-mannered kids who loved and
respected their father. It almost caused her feet to pause knowing that she
would not be seeing them after today.

There was a large chance that Jack
was finished with her car, he’d told her that he needed a few more hours and
today at the latest. In not going to Jack’s shop, she was only postponing the foreseeable
outcome—her departure. Last night she had her last moments with Theo, today
she’d spend her last hour or so with the boys. Being around Auberon and Bernard
had made her miss teaching pre-K, but even more than that she had begun thinking
about it being time to settle down and have children of her own. She’d never
lived in a house with small children. Her brother and sister had little ones
but she never spent more than one night crashing at her brother’s when she was
home and her mom was driving her insane.

After Theo had told her how he’d
lost his wife in an attack from a wolf pack, she was thankful he’d told her the
wolves had been run off and wouldn’t return. However, it made her heart ache
for all three males. Mostly the two little ones who would never get to know
their mother. The only reminder, a picture. Theo even said that Cindy’s parents
had been so distraught after their daughter’s death they moved away.

“There’s the booth, Ms. Riley.”
Bernie announced, pointing at a green booth with painted bees on it and the
name SHARDIK FARM’S HONEYCOMBS.

“Okay, I’m coming.” She laughed as
both boys started running and dragging her behind them. Impressed by the
strength of the small boys, she jogged to keep up.