Her Reluctant Bear: A Hot Paranormal Fantasy Saga with Witches, Werewolves, and Werebears (Weres and Witches of Silver Lake Book 5) (29 page)

Finn McKinnon wiped the bar in front of him. “I take it you’re missing Jillian?”

“Missing is an understatement. Wait until you find your mate.”

He laughed. “Ain’t going to happen for a long ass time. I’m twenty-five and have a lot of enjoyment to look forward to first.”

Brian didn’t need to be lecturing this young pup about how much enjoyment he and Jillian had found, especially after they mated. Of course the sex was off the charts amazing, but that one night when they’d gone out for a run had been fantastic. Freeing. Exhilarating. Mind-expanding. When she returned for good, he wanted to romp and play every night. Thank goodness, she wasn’t some tiny wolf or he might end up hurting her by mistake. He still hadn’t learned how much damage a swipe could inflict. While Jillian was almost as powerful as he was, she was much faster.

“Now that you’ve seen my brother in action at McKinnon and Associates, are you tempted to join them?” Finn asked.

Brian polished off his glass. “No, thank you. Killing isn’t my style, though I was highly impressed with their operation. Besides, my technical skills are definitely not up to speed. That drone of theirs is something else.”

Finn puffed out his chest. “Connor does run a pretty sweet operation. I could have joined him in the family business, but I like working here. Hell, I probably know more secrets about this community than anyone. I pay attention to everything that goes on.”

What he said was true. If it hadn’t been for Finn vouching for Brian’s whereabouts the night of his parents’ murders, no telling where he might be right now. “Do you think you’ll be manager someday?”

Finn shrugged. “I’m hoping, but I’m happy stocking the bar and waiting on customers. The pay’s great and the hours are decent.” He looked up and nodded. “Mr. Murdoch! Fancy seeing you here.”

Daniel Murdoch, Kalan and Jackson’s dad, slid onto the seat next to Brian. “I’ll have an ale,” he told Finn. He faced Brian. “Elana tells me you want to have a place to start a woodworking shop.”

He’d called Mr. Murdoch and asked for an appointment with him. “I do. I’ll keep my job for as long as need be, but someday I’d like to make custom furniture.”

Finn delivered the ale and then moved to the end of the bar to serve some other customers.

“How can I help you?” Daniel asked.

Brian inhaled. “Elana said you have a small cabin not too far from here that you don’t use much anymore. I was wondering if you’d be interested in selling it?” He held onto his drink with both hands. Asking for favors never sat well with him.

“I might. Let’s talk about it.”

*

“Weren’t you scared?”
Camille asked as she stuffed a piece of chicken in her mouth.

“Absolutely, but I knew I had to save my friend Anna,” Jillian said.

They were sitting at the small kitchen table at Camille’s house. Jillian had picked up some Chicken Cacciatore from her favorite restaurant, along with a few bottles of wine. They had a lot of catching up to do.

“What was it like to kill the scumwad?”

She chuckled at Camille’s name for him. “Brian had wounded him severely already. I merely delivered the fatal blow, but I did enjoy tearing out his throat.”

“Gross.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the fastest way to kill a wolf shifter. I wish I’d had the strength to really go head-to-head with him. Whitlaw was so freaking self-confident. His death was too swift.” Jillian took a bite of the spaghetti. The sauce was divine. “What’s going to happen to Dalia’s case? He confessed that he killed her.”

Camille shrugged. “You know better than anyone that hearsay like that won’t count in court.”

“I know.”

“Marie’s taking over the case, but I doubt she’ll get very far, especially since Whitlaw told you he tampered with all the evidence.”

“Yes. I know Dalia’s parents want closure, but that would mean finding some proof that Whitlaw killed her.”

“Unless you’re willing to reveal that shifters exist, they’ll always have to wonder.” Camille tossed back more of her wine. “So you’re really moving back to Tennessee?”

Jillian nodded. “Yes. Brian wouldn’t be happy if he moved here. Besides, those few weeks have shown me how much I enjoy being around Dalton. I was always so focused on work that we never spent quality time together.”

“Do you have a job lined up?”

“No, but I have enough money saved that I can afford to take my time looking. When I sell the house, I’ll be in good shape for a while.”

“Your mom’s going to miss you. How is she dealing with this?”

That had been a hard conversation. “She understands. She’s happy I’ve found someone and that I will be close to Dalton.”

“She can always move to Tennessee.”

Jillian chuckled. “I don’t think she could get used to the small town.”

Camille sighed, reached out, and clasped her hand. “I’ll miss you, girlfriend.”

“You can always Skype me. Or better yet, if the rat race gets to you, I bet the Silver Lake Sheriff’s department could always use a top notch officer.”

She laughed. “I think I’d freak knowing that half the town’s people were really shifters in disguise.”

“It’s not like they walk down the street in their animal form. Remember, humans still don’t know we exist.”

“If I decide to leave the department, you’ll be the first person I call.” Camille lifted her glass, and they toasted. “So tell me, what’s it like to be a person’s mate?”

“Oh, boy. Where do I begin?”

*

After three very
long weeks of running around getting her house ready to sell, putting her possessions in a storage unit that she could ship to Tennessee, and saying goodbye to her good friends at the law office, Jillian was exhausted. It was worth it if it meant she could return to Brian for good. Would she miss Los Angeles? Sure—at least part of it—but she was looking forward to starting a new life. She’d never really explored her animal side, and with Brian by her side, she’d be able to.

Once she boarded the plane to Knoxville, she texted Brian to make sure he’d pick her up when she arrived. Jillian couldn’t wait to be with him. They’d finally be able to live without the heavy cloud of Whitlaw hanging over them.

While she enjoyed Brian’s cozy one-bedroom apartment, even he’d said he would enjoy something bigger. It would be fun to house hunt—something with a couple of bedrooms, along with an office for her and a large workspace for Brian. He had such talented hands.

Don’t I know it
, her tiger chimed in.

She swallowed a laugh. Her poor tiger had been so depressed these last few weeks. She’d begged Jillian to find a place where she could run free, but that wasn’t going to happen in a crowded city.

The flight seemed to take forever, probably because she was so anxious to see Brian again. While they would Skype and text almost every night, it wasn’t the same as when she could taste and touch him.

Many long hours later, the plane landed, and she eased her way to the front. Once in the main terminal, she rushed down the walkway and exited the restricted area, but she couldn’t find Brian. Instead, she spotted Dalton and immediately feared the worst.

“Welcome, home.” He hugged her. “Did everything go okay?”

Dalton and she had talked, but not as extensively as she had with Brian. “Yes, the house is on the market. Where’s Brian?”

Dalton walked her outside. “He said he didn’t think he could keep his hands to himself if he drove you home.”

She laughed. “For real?”

Dalton shrugged. “I didn’t ask for details, but your mate has been rather anxious since you left.”

She didn’t like knowing she’d caused him more pain. “Has he been okay?”

“I haven’t seen him much.”

That didn’t sound good either, but hopefully her brother was merely in the dark. “How’s Anna doing?”

“Good.” He looked away.

“Have you seen her?” From his short response, Jillian wondered if there might be a budding relationship between them. Nah, Dalton was too straight-laced for the likes of her.

“I stopped by the flower shop once, and I was pleased that I couldn’t see any evidence of the fight.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” The lack of physical scars, however, was only part of the issue. Jillian worried more about her mental state. “Did she ask about shifters? It had to have been quite the shock to see me human one minute and an animal the next.”

“No, she didn’t bring it up.”

And he didn’t think to question her? Something was going on, but even if she asked him, he wouldn’t tell her. During the ride home, he told her that he’d finally met Aiden and what a cute little baby he was. He then updated her on the new building for McKinnon and Associates as well as a case he was working on. She noted how he avoided anything to do with Anna.

An hour later, they finally arrived in town. To her disappointment, Dalton drove right passed Blooms of Hope. “Ah, did you forget where I live?”

“No.”

She blew out a breath. After arriving at the airport two hours in advance then sitting on a plane for hours, she wasn’t in the mood for this mystery stuff. “Where are we going? I’m tired.”

“You’ll see.”

When Dalton turned into the shifter compound, she feared he’d drive them to Elana and Kalan’s house for some kind of surprise party. Not that she didn’t want to see her friends again—she did, just not tonight. For days she’d dreamed of being with Brian.

When he drove past their street, Jillian became more confused. “What’s going on?”

Instead of answering, Dalton pulled down a long, unpaved driveway that needed some serious repair work done on it. At the end of the drive sat Brian’s red pickup truck, and her pulse sped up. No sooner had Dalton put the car in gear than Brian came out of the lovely one-story log cabin. Exhaustion must have clouded the logical part of her brain because she couldn’t figure why out he was there.

“Go,” Dalton said. “Brian has a surprise for you.”

Her head swam. Jillian rushed out of the car and charged up to him. While she wanted to ask him what he was doing at this person’s house, that question would have to come later. Right now she needed to absorb everything about him—his scent, what he looked like, and how he felt in her arms. She hugged him then kissed his lips, nose, eyes, and then returned her attention to his lips.

Dalton came up behind her. “Here’s your suitcase. I’ll set it on the porch. Talk to you later.”

She lifted a hand and waved goodbye. Jillian would thank him properly later—once she stopped kissing the man she loved.

“I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed you,” Brian said after breaking the kiss. His lustful gaze drank in all of her. “Come on in.”

When she stepped inside, she pretended interest in the all-wood interior so as not to appear rude. She noted a cute kitchen sat to the right with a dining room table in front of it. A comfy sofa and chair faced a lit fireplace, and off to the side was a mattress. “This is nice.”

Brian slipped off her jacket and let it fall to the floor. “You’re nicer. Oh, Jillian I’ve been going crazy without you.”

“Me too.” Keeping her gaze on him, she kicked off her shoes then began to unbutton his flannel shirt. While she was fumbling to undo it, Brian unzipped her jeans and then dragged them down her hips.

As the seconds passed, their movements turned more frantic. Finally, he stepped back. “I can’t wait any longer. I’m sorry. I know how much you love foreplay, but I’ve been dreaming of this for weeks.”

“So have I.” Jillian was happy he didn’t want to spend a half hour kissing and touching and driving her crazy. Her tiger for sure would have emerged.

Once they were both naked, Brian growled and swept her up in his arms. The skin-to-skin contact made her crazy with need. She dragged her nails down his chest, loving the texture of his hair on top of his muscles. He rushed them over to the mattress that was next to the fireplace.

Dropping to his knees, Brian set her down then crawled on top of her. “I don’t know where to start,” he said. “My bear is beating and kicking me inside. I don’t think he’ll ever be satisfied now, no matter what I do.”

She smiled. “That makes two of us. Now shut up and kiss me some more.”

And kiss her he did. Resting on his elbows, he lowered his body on top of her with the perfect amount of pressure. The first dip of her tongue into his mouth had her blue glow nearly overpowering the yellow hue from the flames in the fireplace. Brian sprouted some facial hair and his teeth sharpened. If he didn’t watch out, he’d shift first.