The Lion Within (Ghost Cat Shifters #1) (18 page)

Daniel nodded tightly. “Will do. I’m just flat pissed he managed to bolt.”

Roger shook his head. “We all are. You can thank Sophia for slowing you down just enough to keep you from running right over the waterfall with him. She knows those woods by heart, so she knew where he was headed.”

Daniel sighed and shrugged. “I know. I should thank her, but she almost fell over after him trying to get me out of the way. I’m not going to feel like this is over until we know if he’s dead or alive. If he’s alive, we need to find him.”

“Our shifters can track him as far as he goes, so we’ve got a damn good shot at finding him if he survived.”

“Right, well, I’m headed over to meet Sophia at work. Let me know what you need to take a look at the properties.”

“Will do. I’ll check on it and get back to you.”

Roger’s phone rang as Daniel turned to leave. He gave a quick wave and picked up the phone.

***

Sophia handed over a coffee to a customer and turned back to the register to find Heath leaning against the counter. “Hey Soph, can I get a mocha latte?”

“You can always get a mocha latte.” She tossed a grin his way before calling the order out to Tommy.

Heath’s green eyes coasted over her. “You don’t look any worse for the wear.”

He was referring to the lion fight the other afternoon. The only damage she’d sustained was a deep scratch along her shoulder. It was sore, but otherwise, she was fine. She shrugged. “It wasn’t so bad. Though I can’t convince Daniel of that.”

“Leave it alone. He gets to worry,” Heath said with a small smile.

“He does?”

“Yup. He loves you.”

“You sound pretty confident about that.”

“I’d be willing to bet he’s told you the same. I know what I see. I had my reservations at first, but he’s good for you.”

Her cheeks heated and warmth spread through her. Heath tended to hold his thoughts to himself, so if he had something to offer, he meant it. It meant more than she could say to have him support her relationship with Daniel. Tears sprung to her eyes. Heath cocked his head to one side. “Hey Soph, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

She shook her head and swiped at her eyes. “They’re good tears. We haven’t had much time to talk with everything going on. Daniel, well, he’s…” She paused and tried to gather her words.

Heath’s mouth quirked in a half-smile. “He’s the one for you. It’s plain as day. Nothing more needs to be said.”

“I think he’s pissed at me for following you guys out there yesterday.”

Heath was quiet for a few beats and then shrugged. “Probably so. I warned him you and Vivi would probably show up. Even if he is pissed, it doesn’t change how he feels.”

“I know, but I’ve got to find a way to explain I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry.”

Heath arched a brow. “Sorry, not sorry? That’s confusing.”

“Well, I’m sorry I scared him, but I’m not sorry I went. We needed to be there. If we weren’t, they would have outnumbered you guys.”

“You don’t need to explain it to me. Just try to understand why he might be upset.”

At that moment, the bell chimed when the door opened and Vivi strolled through. Her dark hair hung in tousled waves around her shoulders. She pushed her sunglasses up on her forehead, her eyes widening and a grin spreading across her face when she saw Heath. Sophia watched as Heath turned toward Vivi, his easy manner disappearing and tension rolling through him. Sophia pondered what that might mean as Vivi strode to him and flung her arms around him. Vivi was a bold and affectionate friend. With Heath’s nature to be reserved, Vivi treated him as most didn’t. When Vivi dropped her arms, a subtle flush crested on Heath’s cheekbones.

Sophia didn’t have time to consider the brief interaction when Daniel pushed through the door with Daisy walking at his side. Daisy had become so attached to Daniel, he didn’t even need to bother with a leash. She simply followed him wherever he went. Her stately gaze locked onto Sophia as they approached the counter. Sophia stepped from behind the counter and went to them. Daniel caught her lips in a quick kiss before stroking his hand down her back and turning to greet Heath and Vivi. Sophia petted Daisy’s head while she leaned into Daniel’s shoulder.

A while later, they walked outside the coffee shop, pausing by the door with Vivi and Heath. The sun was dipping down behind the mountain ridge in the distance, its rays stretching skyward with streaks of gold breaking through swirls of orange and red. Heath threw his arm over her shoulder and squeezed her quickly.

“Thanks for the coffee.” He stepped away, his eyes glancing past Vivi before landing on Daniel. “Give me a call when you want to work on that roof. I’d be glad to help.”

Daniel nodded as he curled his hand around Sophia’s. She savored every little touch and bit back a sigh at the strength and warmth of his grip. She canted her eyes up, arching a brow in question.

“When I went out to the farmhouse to let the police take a look around, I noticed a few leaks in the roof. Nelson’s been letting the place fall apart around him, so there’s a ton of work to do,” Daniel said in response to her unspoken question.

“Are you thinking of actually moving out there? It’s a beautiful place.” Vivi commented, her eyes catching Sophia’s. “You two would have a lot more room than you do now, and Daisy would love being able to roam around out there.”

Daniel shrugged. “I’m not sure. Whether I keep the place or sell it, it needs to be repaired.”

“Like I said, I’m happy to help with whatever you need,” Heath said as he started to turn away. “I’ll catch you all tomorrow.” With a wave, he tucked his hands in his pockets and began walking down the sidewalk, his silhouette dark against the setting sun.

Vivi dropped a kiss on Sophia’s cheek and whirled away. “Hey, wait!” she called out. She jogged to catch up to Heath and slipped her hand through his elbow.

Daisy nudged Sophia’s hip. Sophia stroked her head and glanced up to Daniel. She recalled Heath’s suggestion that she try to understand why Daniel might have been upset. She needed to clear the air. “For what it’s worth, I know we haven’t talked about it, but I understand why you might be pissed off I went to the cabin with Vivi after I said I wouldn’t.”

He was quiet and then nodded slowly. “I get why you went. But dammit! You almost fell over the waterfall along with Nelson. I’ve been trying not to think about it, but…”

She stepped closer and stroked a hand down his arm. “I couldn’t
not
go. I didn’t trust Nelson. I’m sorry I didn’t just tell you I was going no matter what. I’m not sorry I went though.”

His shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath. She could feel the tension in him, but she waited, ignoring the urge to over-explain. He finally nodded slowly. “Can we agree that if anything like this happens again, you’ll be straight with me?”

“It wasn’t like I purposefully lied when I said I wouldn’t go. I meant it at the time. Then you left to go meet Heath and I freaked out, so I changed my mind. I promise next time, I’ll let you know either way. Even if it means you’re pissed off.”

He glanced down, his eyes somber. “You scared me to death when you almost fell over that damn waterfall.”

“But I didn’t,” she said softly. She stroked her hand up his arm and curled it around his neck, pulling him down to meet her lips.

He paused, his lips a whisper away from hers. “It’s only because you mean just about everything to me,” he said before he crushed his lips to hers.

Seconds later when she’d all but melted in his arms, he pulled back. With hot, liquid need sliding through her veins and her pulse pounding in tune with his, she glanced up. His eyes were waiting for her, fire and understanding within them.

After several beats of her heart, she found her voice again. “Are we walking home?”

Daniel’s blue gaze held hers. She recalled the first day she’d seen him and how his eyes had called to her. His voice was low and gruff when he spoke. “That’s what I figured. Daisy expects dinner soon, you know.”

She grinned. “Right. Okay, home it is.” At that, they began to walk home, Daniel’s hand warm around hers.

Epilogue

Sophia stood by the kitchen windows at the farmhouse. She held a steaming mug of coffee cupped in her palms and looked out over the field outside. Snow fell softly, the first snow of the season even though it was still early autumn. In the mountains, it could snow even in the summer at high elevations, usually nothing more than a dusting though. At the sound of footsteps, she turned away from the window. Daniel entered the kitchen, and her breath caught in her throat. He wore jeans, which hung low on his hips, and nothing else. His muscled chest and abdomen were mouth-watering as always. His gaze catching hers, he ran a hand through his tousled dark hair. He came to her side and slipped a hand around her waist, pulling her close.

“Morning,” he said.

He slowly lifted the coffee cup from her hands and set it on the table beside them before dipping his head and catching her lips in a kiss. In a flash, heat suffused her. His tongue swept inside, tangling with hers briefly before he lifted his head. His eyes were still sleepy. His sensual smile weakened her knees.

“Good morning. It’s snowing,” she said with a nudge of her head toward the window.

He looked over her shoulder. “So it is.” His arms slid free, and he padded across the floor to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup.

After he took several slow swallows, he strode to the table and lounged in a chair. She sat opposite him and glanced out at the falling snow, which coated the field like fairy dust. “So, what’s the plan today?”

Daniel gave her a long look, the heat of his gaze warming her. “Well, we’ve moved everything there is to move. I suppose all we have left to do now is unpack.”

In the months since Nelson had disappeared, life had been busy. The police had continued to make inroads into disrupting the smuggling network. Their hunches about the properties had been accurate. They’d systematically searched and taken down multiple locations used for storage and transfer of the drugs, some on properties Daniel had inherited and others on properties that had been sold off, but were so remote it was possible for shifters to stealthily access them with little concern of being detected. The network had largely been isolated in Painter, yet there was the lingering question over Nelson’s whereabouts. With shifters having searched for him, all were confident he had survived as no corpse had been found—human or mountain lion. His scent had been lost deep in the mountains over a river crossing.

After Daniel and Heath had done some basic repairs on the farmhouse, Sophia and Daniel made plans to move out here. Though Nelson had spent time here, he’d left little remnants of his presence. The farmhouse was lovely. Sophia had spent many an afternoon clearing the overgrown yard. She’d have to wait until next spring to see the flowers she’d found hiding under weeds and vines.

Daniel slid his hand across the table and curled his palm into hers, his thumb stroking slowly across the back of her hand. “How do you feel now we’re here?”

At that moment, Daisy ambled into the kitchen and over to the table. She slipped her chin onto Sophia’s thigh, her usual request for a greeting. Sophia stroked her with her free hand and looked back to Daniel. A sense of possibility soared within. “I feel just right.”

***

Daniel watched Sophia’s green eyes brighten as she looked over at him. He’d come to Painter not even looking for love and it had slammed into his life in the form of Sophia. Her black hair fell in loose locks around her shoulders. Her green gaze held his, her eyes sparkling. He couldn’t help it, but every time she was near, he was barely holding onto the reins of desire that pounded hard and fast through his body. He took a gulp of coffee and set it back down on the table.

He didn’t like the unsettled feeling that rose to the surface occasionally when he wondered where Nelson was and when he would surface. Aside from that, he was more content than he’d ever been. The connection he felt with Sophia was unlike anything he’d experienced or even thought he could experience. To have her here with him in the home his mother once loved brought him full circle inside, linking his past to his present.

Her family had brought him fully into their fold. He hadn’t known he was hoping to find a sense of belonging, but he’d found it. The mountain lion within him was fully at home here, as was the human within him. Sophia had turned to look out the window. His eyes traced her profile, lingering on her full lips. Her cheeks flushed as he looked at her, and she turned with a half-smile. “Yes?”

“Just right sounds good to me.”

She squeezed his hand and slid hers free, standing to step to the coffee pot and fill her coffee again. When she returned, he caught her around the waist and pulled her into his lap. She giggled and relaxed against him. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and reached into his pocket. He held his palm between them, balled into a fist. He cleared his throat and found he couldn’t seem to form words. He simply uncurled his hand. In the months after his father passed away, his mother had gone on a spree of giving items away. She’d given him his grandmother’s wedding ring at the time, telling him the ring would bless him. The ring was white gold, engraved with a twined pair of wild roses on the inside of the band. He’d learned by chance from Sophia’s mother that she loved wild roses and cultivated those she found. When she’d uncovered a cluster on the corner of his grandparents’ property, he’d known he needed to make official what he already knew—that he intended to be with her forever and couldn’t even contemplate any other reality for his life.

His heart pounded, hard and fast against his ribcage, as he waited to see her response. Her gaze fell to the ring, glinted with the sun rising through the snowy morning. “Oh!” Her eyes flew to his, bright with the sheen of tears. “Is this…?”

He cleared his throat and managed to form words. “It’s my grandmother’s wedding band. My mother told me I would know who to give it to. I love you, and I can’t imagine anything other than a life with you, so I thought maybe I’d ask you to marry me.”