The Bear Buys a Bride (A Second Chance Christmas in Bear Creek Book 1)
Author: Raines, Harmony
Date: 2018-12-21
Keywords: General Fiction

Table of Contents

Copyright

Foreword

Chapter One – Sian

Chapter Two – Matthew

Chapter Three – Sian

Chapter Four – Matthew

Chapter Five – Sian

Chapter Six – Matthew

Chapter Seven – Sian

Chapter Eight – Matthew

Chapter Nine – Sian

Chapter Ten – Matthew

Chapter Eleven – Sian

Chapter Twelve – Matthew

Chapter Thirteen – Sian

Chapter Fourteen – Matthew

Chapter Fifteen – Sian

Chapter Sixteen – Matthew

Chapter Seventeen – Sian

Chapter Eighteen – Matthew

Chapter Nineteen – Sian

Chapter Twenty – Matthew

Chapter Twenty-One – Sian

Epilogue

Also By Harmony Raines

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The Bear Buys

A Bride

A Second Chance Christmas in Bear Creek

Book One

***

All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written consent of the author or publisher.

This is a work of fiction and is intended for mature audiences only. All characters within are eighteen years of age or older. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, actual events or places is purely coincidental.

© 2018 Harmony Raines

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The Bear Buys

A Bride

A Second Chance Christmas in Bear Creek

Book One

Matthew just bought his bride.

Only she doesn’t know it yet.

Bear shifter, Matthew, just bought his mate at a charity auction. Okay, so what he actually bought was an afternoon of pet pampering—he doesn’t own a pet.

Maybe he could pamper her instead?

Only he’s the bad guy, who came to town to destroy the animal shelter, so he could build luxury houses on the land.

Yes, he is the Christmas villain. But he intends to change. For Sian.

Sian is done with men. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband, Peter, was a bully who never appreciated the wonderful family he was part of but won’t sign the divorce papers and hand over the money he owes her. To make things worse, he arrived in town to embarrass her at the charity auction she’d helped arrange.

But then a Christmas miracle happened. Matthew Lewis, a billionaire property tycoon, paid a small fortune for an afternoon with her. Okay, so what he actually bought was an afternoon of pet pampering—but she knows he doesn’t have a pet.

So maybe she could pamper him instead?

Wait! Matthew is the bad guy in town. Sian has sworn off men for life. And she has two daughters who must come first.

But he’s a bear shifter and they mate for life. Can she risk her heart on a man again? Is it possible they might all get their wish and get a Second Chance Christmas in Bear Creek?

Chapter One – Sian

“Everything looks amazing.” Sian twirled across the marble floor of the museum. For one night only, the ornate building was the venue of an auction to raise funds to save the local animal shelter. “I couldn’t resist.”

“You look amazing,” Simon said with admiration as he watched her dancing solo. Dressed in a sleek tux, Simon looked pretty amazing himself, he’d come out of retirement to act as auctioneer this evening. Perhaps his silver fox good looks and winning smile might encourage people to make higher bids.

“Why, thank you.” Sian made a mock curtsy and wished Simon was the man for her. But he was a shifter and she was not his mate. Shame, since he was a gentle giant who would make a great husband and father to her two daughters.

She sighed and forced herself into business mode when all she really wanted was to live out an old-fashioned Christmas fairy tale. What was wrong with dreaming of being swept off your feet and into the arms of a strong, handsome man?

But tonight was not about her, it was about raising funds for the animal shelter where she volunteered. If they failed, Matthew Lewis, a property developer, was waiting to step in and buy the land. An unscrupulous businessman who had posed as someone wanting to adopt an animal from the shelter, just so he could have a poke around the place.

A man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, if his reputation was to be believed. They all knew that if they didn’t raise the money needed to buy the land it stood on, the animals would be homeless.

And no one, except Matthew Lewis, wanted that for the animals. Especially not at Christmas.

Christmas, a time for families to come together, not for tearing them apart. But Sian’s family had been ripped apart by her not-quite-ex-husband, the man who thought he was more important than his wife and two daughters combined.

“You look troubled.” Simon’s smooth, sexy voice pulled her back to the room. The people of Bear Creek didn’t stand a chance, Sian was certain Simon could charm a pot of gold from a leprechaun if he set his mind to it.

“I’m fine. Just a little nervous.” She took a step toward Simon and looked the auctioneer up and down, wanting to divert the conversation away from herself. “You look like a secret agent in that tux.”

Simon’s eyes crinkled at the corners. He sure was a sexy silver fox. Or a silver wolf, since he was a wolf shifter. She was still trying to get her head around shifters being real. People turning from human to animal and back again? That was the stuff of nightmares and horror movies. At least that’s what she would have thought if she didn’t know that the shifters who lived around Bear Creek were a kind, loving and fiercely loyal people.

“Thanks. I haven’t worn it for a while, but it still fits.” He adjusted the waistcoat across his broad chest.

“So how does it feel to come out of retirement?” Sian asked as the first people filtered into the room. It had once been a magnificent ballroom and Sian would love to glide across the floor on the arm of a good honest man. The kind who would stand by her side through thick and thin and not run off with another woman.

She suspected at her age, which was feeling more like the wrong side of middle-aged, that she was never going to find Mr. Right. Not that she was interested in men, not yet and maybe not for a long while. Her husband, Peter, had killed off any desire to be in another relationship.

After walking out on Peter for the sake of her and her daughters’ mental health, she’d pulled herself together, uprooted her children from their schools and moved here to Bear Creek. They’d all blossomed under the watchful gaze of the mountain and loved life in the friendly town. In fact, she was so content, she planned to live a solitary life, at least until the girls graduated.

“I like it.” Simon smiled broadly. “I intend to work this audience until we have enough money for the shelter.”

“I never knew being an auctioneer was such a ruthless career!” Sian exclaimed in mock surprise.

“Not on the surface. But there are always underhanded shenanigans going on. Sellers trying to dupe other people into buying worthless items for hundreds of thousands.” He turned to look at the stage, which was covered in photos of creatures great and small who had found a second chance at life at the animal shelter. “But an auction like this will help restore my faith in people.”

“Yes, I think we’re safe this evening,” Sian told Simon in a conspiratorial tone. “No one here is trying to dupe anyone.”

“Except, perhaps, me.” Simon winked at her and then his attention was grabbed by a tall, elegant woman who entered the museum. “Excuse me.”

Simon left Sian and crossed the room to meet the elegant woman. Perhaps he had a hot date. Did shifters date or did they simply hang around waiting for their mate? That sure sounded like a lonely life.

The kind of lonely life she’d inflicted on herself.

No, there was a difference between her and Simon. She had her children and they meant the world to her.

So why did her insides turn to liquid fire when she caught a tall, broad-chested man staring at her? Two handsome silver foxes in one night. There must be something in the water here in Bear Creek. Or maybe it was the Bear Creek Honey Beer that they all seemed so fond of.

The color in her cheeks deepened. This silver fox was coming her way.

He drew closer, his eyes fixed on her as he leaned in, inhaling her scent. A shiver threaded through her body as her heart rate increased and her eyes were inexplicably drawn to his lips. Whoever he was, he was as sexy as hell.

“And you’re here to support the animal shelter?” His breath caressed her skin and woke a part of Sian she’d believed was dead and shriveled up, killed by her Peter’s hurt and betrayal. All thoughts of her solitary life disappeared as she locked eyes with the silver-haired man. He mesmerized her, making her feel like a young, carefree woman once more.

“I am. I’m introducing the lots that have been donated. It’s for such a worthwhile cause,” Sian gushed, even as alarm bells rang in her head. She didn’t know this man and yet she was willing to let her guard down and open herself to the chance of romance.

“The animal shelter means a lot to you?” he asked as he looked down at Sian’s ring finger. Damn, he was interested in her. But why? Did he want a one-night stand or was he seeking more?

More than she was perhaps willing to give.

Focus on why you are here tonight, she chastised herself. This was all for the animals and she couldn’t afford to blow it.

“It does.” Sian smiled, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. “I moved to Bear Creek after a difficult breakup…” She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. Was this what it was like to come face to face with a bear on the mountains? For there was no mistaking he was a predator and she so wanted to be his prey.

No. No, she didn’t. She moved to Bear Creek for a fresh start for her and the girls, not to fall into bed with the first man who paid her any attention.

“I’m sorry.” His words didn’t convey sympathy, but he did seem moved by Sian’s sadness.

“The shelter, along with the people of Bear Creek, helped give me new hope. Seeing the animals get a second chance showed me that I could get a second chance. Maybe. One day.” She shook her head. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.”

“Perhaps because you see a kindred spirit in me.” His eyes searched her face and she wanted to swim in his soft brown eyes. “Perhaps we all deserve a second chance.”

Sian tore her eyes away from his, afraid of the intensity she saw there. Afraid to risk her heart again. Instead, she looked over his shoulder and focused on the crowded room. “I should go.”

“Maybe we could meet later. After the auction…” There was a hint of desperation in his voice.

“I’m not sure. I have to take my daughters home.” Her head said no, but her heart was screaming yes.

He held out his hand to her and Sian placed her hand in his as if he’d put a spell on her. As their hands touched, a shock of emotion passed between them. “I hope you can allow me to buy you a drink after the auction.”

“I suppose one celebratory drink might be okay.” She smiled widely again. “It might help if you tell me your name.”

“Matthew.”

Matthew… Of course, the expensive suit, the air of a man who thought he could get what he wanted. The smile slid off her face as the truth of who this man was and why he was talking to her struck her like a knife in the heart. “Is this some kind of a joke?” She focused on her breathing as the world swam around her. This man wasn’t interested in her, he was interested in what he could get from her. This man, who her traitorous body had found so alluring, was Matthew Lewis.

“No.” He leaned forward and his hand reached for her, but he didn’t touch her.

“You are the person who wants to buy the land the animal shelter sits on,” Sian’s accusation seemed to hit Matthew in the chest and he staggered back a step, as if she’d struck him a blow.

“I can explain…” he began, but she didn’t need to hear it. She’d heard it all before. Excuse after excuse…

“Explain that you lied about wanting to adopt an animal.” She covered her face with her hands, obviously in shock. “That’s what this is. You bastard.”

She slipped past Matthew, leaving him staring after her. As she strode away, Lucas appeared from the shadows and came toward her. Lucas, who had just found his own mate. Loyal, honest, and dependable. Why couldn’t she find a man like that?

Lucas, whose mate, Ronni, managed the animal shelter, reached out and took hold of her arm as she strode past. “Are you all right?”

She whirled around to face Lucas, unable to cover her anger. “Yes. And more determined than ever to make tonight a success.”

“What happened?” Lucas asked. “I saw you talking to Matthew.”

Guilt swept across her face as she realized how it must have looked. Consorting with the enemy. Or the devil. “I didn’t know who he was.” She took a deep breath. “You know, I thought I was strong, that I could survive on my own, but then the first good-looking guy who talks to me, I go weak at the knees and practically tell him my life story.”

Lucas wrapped his arms around her and she leaned on his shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be with someone.”

“I wish I could meet a man like you, Lucas. A man I knew would always be there for me, no matter wha…” Her head jerked up and she groaned. “As if my life could not get any worse.”

“What is it?” Lucas asked, turning to look into the crowd of people who were filling the museum in a constant stream.

“My almost-ex-husband.” Sian’s face was deathly pale as she looked at Lucas. “What’s he doing here?”

Lucas shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“He must have heard about the auction from a mutual friend.” Sian took a deep breath and straightened her back. Enough. She had made a promise to herself that she would never let a man, any man, get the better of her again. And that was one promise she was not going to break. “I’m sure as hell not going to let him ruin this for me or for anyone else.”

“Are you sure you can do this?” Lucas placed his hands on her upper arms, his eyes searching her face. Did he think she would crumble into pieces? Not this time.

“I can.” She nodded and forced a smile on her face. “I love you guys, all of you. Everyone has been so kind to me and the girls since we moved here. I can do it for me and for them.”

“Everything okay?” Ronni asked breathlessly as she joined them.

“Fine.” Sian nodded at Lucas. “Your man here was just giving me a pep talk. Last-minute nerves.” She didn’t want Lucas’s mate, Ronni, who ran the animal shelter, to see her distress.

“I’m not surprised. There are so many people here. I didn’t expect so many.” Ronni gulped down her own nerves. “I think you are amazing to get up there and do this for us. I feel like such a letdown not being able to speak on the stage.”

“Don’t worry about it. We all have our fears. Rational or irrational.” Sian kissed Ronni on the cheeks. “This will be a success.”

Ronni pressed her lips together and glanced sideways at Lucas. Were they worried she couldn’t pull this off? She had to prove to them she was strong. More than that, she had to prove to herself that she was stronger now. Strong enough to force herself to put one foot in front of the other and mount the stage as if everything was fine.

Her daughters were here somewhere in the crowd. She would do it for them. Set a good example. But what if they saw their dad? What if he was here for them?

“It’s time,” Ronni whispered, and Sian nodded and turned around to make her way onto the stage. From her vantage point, she would see everything. All she had to do was keep it together.

Sian smiled brightly, said hello and thanked everyone for coming, and introduced Simon. The auctioneer looked comfortable and relaxed, and she absorbed his calming influence as they went through their warm-up speech. She smiled, her eyes roaming the audience, picking out Peter who leaned against a marble pillar to the right of the room. What would happen if her daughters saw him? Was that why he was here? She hated not knowing his plans. And that was exactly his intention. Control was Peter’s game. Well, tonight he was out of luck, she was free of him and she would never give him power over her again.

Sian let out a sigh of relief and settled into her role of introducing and explaining a little about each lot. Everything moved along like a slick machine, and soon the money for the shelter began to roll in. They were going to raise all the money they needed, all she had to do was keep it together and smile.

The biggest cheer of the evening was for Carter Eden, a movie star who lived in Bear Creek and owned Bear Creek Honey Beer Brewery. He walked onto the stage looking relaxed and handsome, and Sian could sense the frisson of electricity in the air as countless women dreamed of being next to him. Carter was a total professional, not letting anything distract him, as he explained that they were bidding on tickets for a tour of his brewery. Ten tickets were available, although the people bidding on the tickets seemed more interested in Carter than the beer. But he took it all in good humor.

Then it was Ronni’s turn, who was offering a personal pet training session. Sian’s friend mounted the stage and smiled despite her obvious nerves. Nerves that transmitted to Sian, since she was the next lot. What if no one bid for her pet pampering afternoon since it was a new venture and she had no real experience?

Too late to back out now. Sian moved to the center of the stage, hoping she didn’t look like a deer caught in headlights.

Inhale, exhale, she reminded herself. But her breathing stopped as Peter moved away from the marble pillar and came to stand right in front of the stage. She would not let him intimidate her. Raising her eyes, she stared into the crowd. And locked eyes with Matthew Lewis instead.

Lifting her eyes, Sian refused to look at either man as Simon began to warm up the crowd, urging them to dig deep and help the sanctuary.

“Our next lot is a pet pampering afternoon with Sian. This will take place at the animal shelter.” Simon looked out into the crowd. “Now, ladies and gentlemen, don’t be shy, this pet pampering afternoon is for all furries large and small. Even those of you who have a bear lurking in your closet.”

A ripple of laughter ran around the room.

“Who wants to start the bidding?” Simon had hardly finished his sentence when a voice called out.

“One.” Peter sneered as he spoke. That was all she was worth, his expression said. Just as his mouth had told her on many occasions as he sought to belittle her and break her spirit.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Simon asked.

Sian closed her eyes and heat crept across her cheeks. But before the paltry amount could be repeated, another voice called out, “Two…”

Matthew. Sian’s shoulders sagged forward.

“Hundred thousand,” the voice added more clearly. “Two hundred thousand.”

Silence fell over the room and all eyes turned to Matthew.

In her peripheral visions, Sian watched Ronni step forward, but Lucas pulled her back.

Sian’s gaze fixed firmly on Matthew, not knowing what to do or say. Everyone had taken a step back and he stood alone in the center of the room, his chin tilted up defiantly.

“Going once, going twice.” Simon hesitated as he locked eyes with Matthew, as if expecting him to laugh and say it was a joke, but Matthew looked deadly serious. “Sold to…”

“Matthew.” His voice rang out clearly as Sian shifted her weight from foot to foot. If only the stage would open up and she could descend into oblivion.

Why had the man who was so keen to get his hands on the sanctuary been the person to save it? Sian could not work out his angle, and that worried her. It worried her a great deal.

Wait. They had saved the sanctuary! The money raised was more than four times what they needed.

How was she ever going to thank Matthew?

Chapter Two – Matthew

Matthew Lewis had spent his life playing hard and fast both in business and pleasure. Raised by an uncle who didn’t care, he’d left school with no qualifications and a chip on his shoulder as big as the mountains surrounding Bear Creek.

With a need to prove his own worth, he’d fought tooth and claw for everything he owned. And now he owned his mate.

For an afternoon at least.

Unfortunately, it might take more than an afternoon to make up for the way he’d behaved over this stupid damn animal shelter that the whole town of Bear Creek seemed to have gone into a sympathetic meltdown over.

“Well done.” Someone he didn’t know slapped him on the back.

His lip curled in a snarl, a defense mechanism left over from his younger days. His other life, as he now thought of it. But that life had left scars that ran more than skin deep.

“You saved the shelter.” Another stranger smiled at him.

“Very generous of you.” Carter Eden, movie star and owner of Bear Creek Honey Beer Brewery, came across the marble floor with a presence that made women go weak at the knees. It amused Matthew just how oblivious Carter was to the hundreds of women who would happily throw themselves at Eden’s feet, or into his bed. All he had to do was snap his fingers.

But he would never do that because he had a mate.

Just as Matthew would never again look at another woman.

Because we have a mate, his bear stated with some amusement.

Matthew snarled inwardly. Glad you find it amusing.

Oh, I do, his bear replied. Is your heart going to end up broken like all the women you’ve dated only to leave them before they got too close and before they got under your skin?

I had no choice, they were not my mate. But Sian was his mate. Of that he was one hundred percent certain.

His eyes lingered on her body as she continued with the stupid auction. Stupid because none of it mattered now. Matthew Lewis, with his heart of stone, had singlehandedly saved the very thing he’d come here to wreck.

All those cute, fluffy animals can sleep soundly in their soft beds knowing that you bought the land for them. His bear’s voice dripped sarcasm, but he was as smitten with their mate as Matthew was. He was just better at covering up his true feelings. After all, burying his emotions had been the only way to survive living under his uncle’s roof.

Perhaps he should have been grateful to have a roof over his head at all. But he’d earned it in backhanded slaps and bruises on Matthew’s arms that never got a chance to heal before his next beating.

Matthew snapped out of his reverie as the auction drew to a close and the final amount raised was calculated. Two girls rushed toward Sian and hugged her, as “Jingle Bells” played loudly over the museum’s sound system.

Christmas. One of the worst times of the year.

You might have to reappraise that idea, his bear told him as Sian searched the sea of faces before her.

Her eyes rested on him, but then they kept roving. She was looking for someone else. He’d checked her ring finger, there had been no ring, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t in a relationship with someone.

She’s looking for the jackass who bid low on her. At the memory of Sian’s distraught face, Matthew’s fists clenched at his side.

But he’d seen the idiot walk out of the building. He was gone. For now. But Matthew got the feeling he was not gone for good.

“Thank you.” He sensed Sian’s approach and stood his ground.

“You are welcome.” Those words sounded foreign on his tongue. When was the last time he’d done anything for anyone for unselfish reasons?

His bear chuckled. Like this was unselfish. You only bid for Sian because you didn’t want anyone else to have her. We don’t have a pet, remember?

But that wasn’t quite true. He could have bid a hundredth of that amount and still bought her. No, he’d bid high for her, because he wanted to make her see she what she was truly worth. Not just to him, but to everyone in the museum.

“Perhaps we could get that drink.” She studied him closely. This wasn’t some grateful social encounter, Sian wanted answers. Answers he wasn’t sure he could give.

Not because he had something to hide. But because he didn’t know the answers himself.

When he came here tonight it was with the knowledge that he was one step nearer to gaining ownership of the land the animal shelter stood on. He’d already bought the house adjoining it from the owner, Kevin Jones, who had caved in and sold out when offered a substantial amount of money. Money Matthew planned to triple when he knocked down the shelter and Kevin’s family home and built a selection of houses that would appeal to successful business people who were also shifters.

He’d discovered an untapped market that he planned to exploit…

You failed, his bear reminded him.

Did I? Matthew asked. He’d bought and paid for his mate. If she didn’t spend time with him, he’d ask for a refund and the sale of the land would fall through.

“Perhaps we should get that drink.” Matthew nodded and held out his arm. Sian hesitated for a moment before hooking her arm through his and allowing him to lead her across the marble floor. The room was still crowded, and they were forced to walk close together, and the heat from her body excited his senses.

“White wine, please.” Sian smiled and accepted the glass of cool white wine while he ordered something stronger. Whiskey. He knocked it back in one go, the amber liquor burning his throat, just as her touch burned his skin. “So?” she asked, studying him through her long eyelashes.

“So.” He gave a half smile.

“Don’t play coy with me, please. What are your intentions?” Sian sipped her wine. Her lips mesmerized him, and he longed to kiss her. “Matthew.”

He’d been staring at her lips and the color crept into her cheeks as she tried not to stare right back. “I’m not sure what you want me to say.”

“Perhaps you could tell me more about your pet.” Her eyes narrowed.

“Pet.” He looked confused for a moment before he opened his mouth to answer.

“As I thought. You don’t have a pet, do you?” Sian tilted her head to one side. “So, let me ask you again, what are your intentions?”

“Maybe I have a bear hiding in my closet.” He nearly rolled his eyes at himself as he repeated the words the auctioneer said. He wasn’t so dazed by love to not understand it was a way of saying the pampering could be used for a shifter’s other side.

Sian’s lips parted, and she gasped softly. “Do you have a bear in your closet?”

He leaned forward, his breath caressing her skin as he asked, “Would you like to see it?”

Sian’s eyes widened. “Not here.”

“We could go somewhere much more private,” he suggested.

“Nice try. But my momma always told me not to go anywhere alone with a stranger.” Sian gave a brief shake of her head. “Anyway, I have to get my daughters home.”

Children. She had children. That was another thing he’d never factored into his dreams of finding his mate. But of course, as time moved on and his mate hadn’t appeared, it became more likely that when he did meet her, she might have children.

His hand curled harder around his glass and he had to consciously make an effort to relax.

“Was that your husband?” His question took her by surprise and she looked around the room as if to check whether he was still there. “He left.”

She nodded, her eyes glinting with unshed tears. “He came here to embarrass me.” She took a gulp of her wine. “Thank you.”

He lifted his hand and stroked her cheek, a light touch like a lover’s breath across her skin. She leaned into him, wanting to prolong the contact with him. “I’d rip his throat out if he tried to hurt you again.”

Her eyes flew to his. “He’s still the father of my children.”

Matthew nodded and let his hand drop to his side. “It was a figure of speech. What I meant was, if he hurt you, I’d make sure he knew that was not acceptable.”

“Still with the threats.”

“Not to his body. There are many ways to hurt someone. But I would never do anything that would cause hurt to you or your children.” He sighed. “I’m not giving you a very good impression of myself.”

“What gave you that idea?” she asked. “Pretending to want to adopt a pet? Threatening to hurt my ex-husband? Or bidding an insane amount of money for me to groom your non-existent pet?”

“Groom? I thought the word was pampered.” He tried to make a joke, he wasn’t good at them.

“We’ll have to discuss the finer details,” Sian said evasively.

“When?”

“I don’t know.” She looked over his shoulder and then gulped her glass of wine down. “I have to go, my daughters need to get to bed. It’s been a long night.”

“Hello.” Before Sian had a chance to make her escape, one of her daughters approached and stood in front of Matthew, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Hello.” Kids were not his thing, but there was a spark in this teenager’s eyes that reminded him of her mother. How could he not care for and protect the offspring of his mate?

“Why did you bid so much money for my mom?” Her question was direct. He liked her even more.

“Because she is worth it,” he added simply.

“I think she’s worth it, but I’m her daughter.” The young woman glanced up at her mom before asking, “Why is she worth it to you?”

“Rachel, we should go. It was generous of Matthew to give the money to the shelter, we shouldn’t be here questioning why he did it.” She gave him a tight smile.

“I was moved by your mother’s passion for the shelter.” That was the truth. If he hadn’t spoken to Sian before the auction, he might not have made the bid so high, despite her being his mate. But when she spoke so passionately about the shelter and the people she’d met there, people who supported her when she needed them most, there was no way he could not help her.

Rachel cracked a smile. “Good answer. We’re adopting two kittens from the shelter in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, we’ll have them in time for Christmas.”

Great, two children and two kittens. It was a good thing he wasn’t allergic.

“Hi, Ella.” Sian put her arm around her other daughter’s shoulders. “This is Matthew.”

“Hi, Matthew,” Ella greeted him with a less hostile smile.

“Hi, Ella.” What were you supposed to say to children? He could talk to his mate until the end of time. But teenage girls, what did you say to them when you knew nothing about pop culture or the latest movies on the big screen?

“Thanks for buying my mom.” Ella, who appeared to be the younger of the two children, slipped her hand into Sian’s.

“He didn’t exactly buy me,” Sian began to explain.

“I kind of did.” Matthew smiled what he hoped wasn’t a predatory smile as he fought the need to let everyone in the room know she was his mate.

“You bought a pet pampering afternoon,” Sian reminded him firmly.

“I know.” The room was beginning to empty and Rachel hung on Sian’s hand and yawned widely. “Can I take you home?”

“Oh, we can walk,” Sian insisted, taking a step backward. “We don’t live too far away.”

“Oh, can’t we have a ride home?” Ella pleaded. “It’s so cold and I’m so tired.”

“My car is right outside. I promise to keep you all safe.” Matthew relaxed his body language, trying to set Sian at ease. He was going to have to work hard and put on a real charm offensive to make up for his earlier behavior.

He also needed to figure out a new plan. Right now he’d invested in real estate right next to an animal shelter. He wasn’t sure how he was going to recoup his money since he’d paid over the value for the house. But he’d find a way, Matthew had a knack of finding the value others just couldn’t see.

“We’re fine, honestly.” Sian turned to the girls. “Why don’t you go and get your coats on while I say goodnight to Mr. Lewis.”

“Matthew.” He touched her arm, needing to feel the warmth of her skin on his fingertips.

“I think it would be better to keep everything on a formal footing.” Sian held out her hand for him to shake.

“There is nothing formal about our relationship,” he dropped his voice so only she could hear, while he shook her hand. The connection between them sparked and crackled along his fingertips and her eyes widened as she felt it, too. “You know that. Don’t you?”

Sian’s breasts heaved as she inhaled deeply. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“I think you do. You know about shifters.”

She nodded.

“You know about bonded mates.” He was certain she did since her friends who ran the animal shelter were bonded mates.

“I do,” she answered hoarsely.

“Do you think I’d have paid so much money for anyone else?” he asked, his voice low.

“No.” She swallowed hard and her eyes darted to her daughters who had wandered away to look at all the photographs of animals adorning the stage. “Matthew, I don’t know if I can give you what you want. My life is complicated.”

“I like complicated.”

“Not my kind of complicated.” She swung her head around as she searched for her girls. “I can’t play games. I can’t risk getting hurt.”

“Good, because I am not playing games and I have absolutely no intention of hurting you.”

“You have a reputation.” Her mouth was denying him, but every breath she took, every beat of her heart betrayed her. She wanted him, just as much as he wanted her, he simply had to allow her to come to that understanding herself. She was scared.

And maybe she had a right to be. But he would fix that. He had to. Or else face his life alone.

Chapter Three – Sian

Sian helped Ella and Rachel put their coats and scarves on as they stood in the entrance of the museum. She also had one eye on the parking lot, scouring the area for any sign of Peter. He might have left the museum, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t out there waiting for her. His behavior toward his wife and daughters had never been what was expected of a husband and father, it was as if he missed the memo on compassion and empathy. But tonight, it was the unknown she feared. She didn’t care that he’d tried to embarrass her in front of everyone, it was the fear that he might be here to cause hurt to Ella and Rachel that bothered her.

“Are you all right, Mom?” Ella asked as Sian pulled on her gloves.

“Yes, just a little tired.” Sian’s feet ached, her voice felt hoarse and all she wanted to do was sink into her comfortable sofa with a mug of hot cocoa and her feet tucked under her. The elation of reaching their target for the auction had rapidly waned, leaving her drained. “Let’s get home.”

A flurry of snowflakes blew toward them as they made their way down the museum steps and across the parking lot. Sian’s teeth chattered. She’d bought new winter coats for Ella and Rachel when they moved to Bear Creek, but her meager funds had not stretched to the extravagance of buying one for herself. Perhaps a visit to the thrift shop might be a good idea. Otherwise, she was going to freeze this winter.

A knot of anger coiled tightly in her stomach. If Peter had paid her the money from her share of the house like he was supposed to, she could have bought herself a nice thick winter coat. But instead of paying up, he’d dragged the whole sorry business out, forcing her to take him to court.

But even then, he hadn’t paid her. If he didn’t give her the money by Christmas, she’d have to consult a lawyer again. Would he really rather be held in contempt of court than pay her?

A gust of wind buffeted them and she held onto her daughters, despite them being old enough to fend for themselves. They were all she had and she wanted to protect them from the world and the weather, and anything that might hurt them. Even though she knew this wasn’t healthy for any of them. She relaxed her grip.

“We’re okay, Mom,” Rachel told her as they reached the road.

“I know. I still find myself forgetting you aren’t my little girls anymore.” Sian smiled. Or tried to smile, but her teeth were locked together to prevent them from chattering with the cold.

As she looked left and right, preparing to cross the road, a large, very expensive black car slid to a stop beside them. As the window rolled down, she saw the impossibly handsome face of Matthew Lewis looking out at them from the warm interior of his car. “Why don’t you get in? I can take you all home.” His offer, made by anyone else, would have been snapped up. But Sian wasn’t sure how she felt about him.

Yes, they might be mates, but that did not mean she had to fall at his feet.

A stronger gust of wind buffeted them again, and more snow fell. Was this some kind of conspiracy?

“Mom?” Ella pulled on her sleeve. “Please.”

“We’re not supposed to get into cars with strangers,” Rachel reminded them all.

“I’m not exactly a stranger,” Matthew explained. “I’ve just donated a large amount of money to the animal shelter, they have all my bank details…”

“If you are sure it’s not too much trouble.” Sian caved in as a wave of fatigue swept over her.

“Never.” The truth and honesty in Matthew’s voice won her over.

“Thanks. Girls, get in the back and make sure you buckle your seatbelts.” Ella and Rachel got in the back seat, Ella muttered something about them not being five-year-olds and Rachel stated that she still wasn’t sure Matthew wasn’t a stranger.

“Ready?” Matthew asked.

“Yes.” Sian pulled her thin coat around her, grateful for the warm heat filling the car. “You need to go left up here.”

Matthew followed her directions. “So how long have you lived in Bear Creek?”

Sian gave him a sidelong glance. “A couple of months.”

“Are you planning on making this your home for good?” He kept his expression neutral, which was kind of infuriating. Sian longed for a man who wasn’t afraid to show his true self. Not his lying, cheating self, but his true, loyal, passionate self. Could Matthew ever repair her injured heart, could he restore her faith in men?

“We are,” Sian confirmed. Although a shadow of doubt crept across her mind. Why was Peter here? Did he plan to interfere in their new life? “And you?”

He glanced sideways at her. “I didn’t intend to move here, no. But my plans might change.”

“Just like they changed after you attempted to adopt a puppy from the shelter?” Sian asked sweetly. This comment raised interest from her daughters.

“Are you adopting a puppy?” Ella asked excitedly. “We’re adopting two kittens.”

Matthew sighed heavily, which confused Sian for a moment before the reason hit her smack in the forehead. “You don’t like cats?”

“I’m not a pet person,” he admitted.

“So why did you go to the animal shelter to adopt a puppy?” Rachel asked in her usual suspicious manner. Ever since the breakup of her parent’s marriage, she’d been untrusting with people. All except her mom and sister. It broke Sian’s heart to hear the mistrust in her daughter’s voice.

“Because I wanted to buy the land the shelter is built on and that was the only way I could get a close look at the place.” Matthew eyed Sian with a small smile. “I could have lied. But I never want to lie to you.”

Color rose in Sian’s cheeks and she glanced in the side mirror at Rachel in the back seat, expecting her to be formulating a scathing retort. However, she seemed satisfied with Matthew’s honesty.

“So why did you bid so much money for my mom?” Ella asked. “That doesn’t make sense. Not when you almost single-handedly saved the shelter.”

“We would have saved the shelter without Matthew’s money,” Sian insisted.

“I’m not asking for a refund.” Matthew turned right when Sian indicated the road they lived on. “Neither do I regret the amount of my bid. It was totally worth it.”

“It’s this one here.” She wanted to get out of the car and disappear into the small house she rented and never see him again. Matthew Lewis confused her like no other man she’d ever known. “Thanks for the ride.” Sian unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. But neither of the girls moved. “We’re home.”

“Matthew didn’t answer Ella’s question,” Rachel commented. “We’d like to know.”

“I bid on your mom because I had a change of heart. Before the auction started, she told me how much the animal shelter meant to her since you moved here. I could also see how much it meant to everyone else at the auction and I didn’t want to be the bad guy.” Matthew cast a glance in the rearview mirror.

“So you decided to be the hero instead?” Ella asked. At thirteen, she was easily moved by romantic comedies where the asshole always found his true self and saved the day. That was not what was happening here. If Sian wasn’t Matthew’s mate, he would have stomped all over the feelings of everyone at the museum and all the animals at the shelter.

“Was that your plan, to be the selfless hero?” Sian asked, her eyebrows disappearing into her hair she raised them so high.

“Not selfless. But a hero, yes.” He gave her a wide smile. It was the most genuine thing she’d seen or heard from Matthew Lewis all evening. And damn him for his mature good looks. Her fingers itched to run through his salt and pepper hair and caress his neck and kiss his lips.

“Okay, you have your answer. Let’s go. I need to get to bed.” Sian slid out of the car, but when she leaned down to thank Matthew, she was met by an expression that said he would love to get to bed with her. “Goodnight,” she said stiffly.

“Until we meet again.”

“That is so cheesy,” Sian replied, although she couldn’t help but smile at him. Which was wrong. So wrong. She had to pull herself together. She was committed to her children, she was committed to her life without men.

“I’m out of practice.”

So am I. “Well, goodnight then.” Sian pulled back and shut the door. She should have said more. At least a thank you. But she didn’t trust herself to say anymore. Matthew Lewis left her in turmoil and she needed some time to think things over.

Sian didn’t look back as she followed the girls to the front door. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her door key and tried to stop her hand from shaking as she inserted it into the lock. As the door opened and she stepped inside, she let out the breath she’d been holding.

“Do you two want some cocoa?” Sian asked as they all took off their coats. She shivered and hugged herself as she went to the kitchen. “It’s cold in here.”

“Has the boiler shut off again?” Rachel asked as she followed her mom to the kitchen.

“It’s freezing,” Ella agreed. “I’m going straight to bed.”

“Good night. I love you.” Sian opened her arms and Ella gave her a hug.

“I love you, too.” Ella pulled away and looked at her mom. “Why did Matthew pay so much money for you?”

“As he said, he wanted to help save the sanctuary,” Sian said evasively.

“But why did he spend so much money on you? He could have bid on something he at least had a use for,” Ella pressed for an answer.

“Because…” She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“At least he shut up the jerk that bid so low,” Ella said. “Maybe that’s why he did it, since he doesn’t have a pet.”

“Maybe it was.” Sian nodded. Of course, she’d been so caught up with Matthew, she’d forgotten about Peter. The girls hadn’t seen him. They didn’t know it was their father who had tried to humiliate her in front of the whole town.

“Maybe he’s planning on adopting a pet from the shelter, then he’d have a pet to pamper.” Ella drifted toward the doorway. “Night. Love you guys.”

“Goodnight.” Rachel pulled off her boots and slipped her feet into her fluffy slippers, reminding Sian that her daughter might be hard on the outside, but she was still a little girl underneath her tough exterior.

“Cocoa?” Sian asked.

Rachel nodded and padded to the doorway. Sian took out a pan and poured milk into it before setting it on the stovetop. Taking out two mugs, she set them down on the countertop and spooned in the cocoa. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched her daughter.

“Are you going to tell me what’s on your mind?” Sian asked as she set the mugs down on the table.

“It was dad, wasn’t it?” Rachel asked as she sat down across the table from her mom.

Sian closed her eyes and nodded. “I didn’t know if you’d seen him.”

“We were talking to Ronni’s mom and dad, but I recognized his voice.” Rachel wiped a tear away. “Do you know why he’s here?”

“No.” Sian wished she had answers. At nearly sixteen, Rachel’s disappointment in her father had been hard to watch. It had grown with each passing year from when she was a small child, trying to make her father proud in a school play, to studying so hard at school to be the top of her class that she nearly had a breakdown. Coming to Bear Creek had been as much for Rachel as it had been for Sian. They’d all needed a change of pace, to reset their lives and recharge their batteries.

“It’s not for a family reunion, is it?” Rachel smiled brightly and looked at the Christmas decorations that they’d brought with them from their old house. “This family is broken.” She arched her eyebrows and added, “This family was always broken.”

Sian slid her hand across the table and took her eldest daughter’s hand. “No, it’s not. We’re still a family. You, me and Ella.”

Rachel’s eyes swam with emotion. “Do you really believe that?” she asked quietly.

“I do. We’re stronger now, we have each other...”

“He can’t hurt us?” Rachel fixed Sian with a stare, trying to read the answer in her mom’s face because she didn’t trust her words.

Sian gave a short, humorless laugh. “I’m not going to lie. Until the divorce is through, he can still hurt us. At least in a material way. But he can’t hurt the love we have for each other and I’m damned sure he is not going to hurt either you or Ella with his actions.”

“Which is what he tried to do tonight.” Rachel cupped her cocoa in her hands and took a sip. “So what’s this Matthew Lewis’s angle?”

Sian arched an eyebrow as she sat back in her seat and surveyed her daughter. “Does everyone have to have an angle?”

“Seriously. After what you went through with dad, you’re just going to accept that a man you don’t know had a moment of conscience and flipped his viewpoint one-eighty?” Rachel asked incredulously.

“Yes.” Sian gave a nod of her head to reinforce her belief. “I do.”

“And your proof?” Rachel asked.

“Fate.” Sian got up from the table. How was she supposed to explain Matthew’s behavior without telling her daughter about shifters? Not that Sian planned to keep it a secret from her daughters. She’d made a pact with herself, and with them to be open and honest in everything they faced as a family.

But it was late, and Sian needed time to process the evening’s events before she told her daughters the truth about Matthew.

“Next you’ll be telling me you still believe in Santa.” Rachel finished her cocoa and got up from her chair. “I’ll help you wash the cups and then I need to sleep.”

“You go. I can do this.” Sian hugged her daughter tightly. “Don’t let your father taint your life and relationships. There are good people in the world, people who are kind and giving. People who can change when a new future is put before them.”

“I know.” Rachel took a shuddering breath. “But I’m not ready to believe.”

Rachel kissed her mom’s cheek and walked away, leaving Sian with a heavy heart as she ran the hot water, that just only made it to lukewarm. She’d give anything to help Rachel but Peter arriving in town was sure to complicate matters.

As for Matthew Lewis? Sian wasn’t sure if she was ready to believe in miracles yet either.

Chapter Four – Matthew

Matthew breathed in the fresh morning air, the scent of the mountain drifted down on the ice-cold breeze that prickled his lungs as he took the short walk from his house to the animal shelter. Time to mend bridges and conquer mountains.

His bear chuckled. This is going to be interesting.

Glad you find it amusing, Matthew replied shortly.

Just saying, you are not a mend-bridges kind of a guy. Usually, you just blow them up and ignore the casualties left in your wake.

Matthew inhaled deeply and ignored his bear.

You know I’m right.

A man can change, Matthew told his bear firmly. Although he wasn’t sure he believed it himself.

“Hello there.” Ronni stood outside the reception office of the animal shelter, her arms crossed and her feet hip-width apart.

“Howdy, neighbor.” He cracked a smile at her bold stance.

“You know you’re trespassing on animal shelter land.” Ronni put her hands on her hips as she watched him defiantly.

“I do.” He nodded and took a couple more steps forward. “I wasn’t sure if I should bring a white flag of surrender.”

“It might have been a good move.” Ronni cocked her head on one side. “Come on in. We need to talk.” She spun around and walked into the office.

Matthew hesitated. “Is this some kind of ambush?”

Ronni ducked her head back outside. “The only lethal weapon in here right now is yesterday’s coffee.”

With a chuckle, he entered the office. “I do come in peace.”

“Oh, I know.” Ronni went to the room behind the office and made a fresh pot of coffee. “You have a lot riding on this meeting.”

“And you intend to use that to your advantage?” Matthew asked, leaning against the door frame.

“I do.” She looked over her shoulder, assessing him. “Don’t worry, I don’t want your checkbook.”

“I should hope not. The shelter has profited off me quite enough for one day.” He accepted the coffee mug she handed him. “Thanks.”

“Don’t worry, I haven’t poisoned it.” She gave him a sweet smile. “Let’s go sit down.”

Matthew backed up and sat down in the chair across the desk from Ronni. “Good coffee.”

“Thanks.” Ronni took a sip of her own coffee and set it down on the desk carefully. “I need to know what your intentions are toward Sian.”

Matthew nearly choked on a mouthful of coffee. “My intentions? What are you, her mother?”

“Worse, I’m one of her best friends in town.” Ronni leaned forward as she spoke. “Listen, she’s had it tough the last few months, and she’s settled here in Bear Creek and she’s happy. She fits in.”

“And you don’t think I’ll fit in?” Matthew asked.

“I’m not so worried about you fitting in, you’re a shifter after all. But you don’t exactly seem to be a team player.” Ronni had a point, not that he was going to admit it.

“I’m used to working solo, that’s true.” He took a deep breath as he accepted the enormity of what happened last night. He’d found his mate. After nearly fifty years of being alone, of only having to take care of himself, he was suddenly committed to another person. A person who had two daughters who depended on her.

“I know what it’s like to be hit over the head by the mating bond. It takes a while to find your equilibrium again.” She looked down at her hands which were splayed out on the desk. “Just think carefully how you proceed.”

“Think carefully how I proceed?” His brow furrowed. “What does that mean?”

“Don’t be reckless with Sian’s heart.”

Matthew appreciated Ronni’s bluntness and part of him wanted to rail against it and deny he would ever be reckless with something he held so dear. But he was reckless with other people’s emotions every damn day. How could he ensure this was different? He never wanted to hurt his mate, but was he capable of living a different life?

“I appreciate your candid response.” Now he sounded as if he were in a board meeting about to take over someone’s beloved business and rip it to shreds for profit.

“That’s not the answer I was looking for.” Ronni tilted her head to one side. “She deserves the best. This is her second chance and I want you to make it the best second chance anyone has ever had.”

“That was her asshole of an ex-husband last night, wasn’t it?” Matthew asked, shifting the focus off himself.

“Peter. Yes. Unfortunately, he is not her ex-husband yet.”

“I remember, she said.” Matthew had been too shell-shocked at meeting his mate that he hadn’t taken in everything that was said last night.

The fact our mate is still married is one of those things you should have remembered, his bear told him flatly.

Ronni hesitated. “If you weren’t Sian’s mate, I wouldn’t be telling you any of this. I’m certain he’s come to town to hurt her in whatever way he can. From what Sian said there is a divorce deal on the table and my guess is he’s here to renegotiate.”

“Renegotiate. You mean rip her off?” Matthew’s grip on his cup tightened until he made himself consciously relax. His good guy persona was about to slip.

“No one ever renegotiates upward, do they?”

“You have a point.” He nodded. “But Sian has the children living with her. Surely he wants them to have a secure future.”

Ronni’s face broke into a genuine smile. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe there is hope for you after all.” She cocked her head to one side. “Perhaps if Santa sprinkles a little Christmas magic on your head, you might actually be the good guy here.”

He gave a short laugh. “Christmas magic has passed me by my whole life. I don’t expect that to change now.”

“I don’t know. We all need to believe in miracles.” Ronni stood up. “Look at this place. Only yesterday we were trying to figure out if we would raise enough money to buy the land and then some fairy godfather bid an astounding amount of money for a pet grooming service when he has no pet.”

Matthew smiled and drank his coffee. “Miracles do happen.”

“I hope you sincerely believe that. I really do. Because I don’t know about you, but they deserve it.” Ronni’s eyes misted with tears and she picked up her coffee and took a gulp to hide her emotions.

Matthew got up from the chair and walked to the door of the office. He stared out at the mountain in the distance and took stock of his life. He’d come here to knock down the shelter and build large, comfortable houses that he could sell as vacation homes to wealthy shifters. With that view, he could have charged a premium. Weirdly, he didn’t care that his plan had been foiled.

“Thank you.” He turned back to face Ronni.

“Thank me? For what? Accepting your money?” she asked sarcastically.

“No, thank you for being there for Sian. It sounds as if she needed a friend.”

“Needs a friend,” Ronni corrected. “I’m not going anywhere. I just want you to know that Sian and the girls are settled here. The town has been good for them.”

“It’s a good thing I bought a house then, neighbor.”

Ronni rolled her eyes. “If I hear one complaint from you...”

“You’ll what?” Matthew asked and then straightened, the conversation forgotten as his senses twitched. She was close, his mate was getting nearer. His eyes widened and his nostrils flared as he sensed her. Without thinking, he walked outside to stand in the parking lot, waiting for the first sight of her.

Sian drove up the short driveway leading from the road. The car slowed when she saw him but then she accelerated, turning into a parking space before she switched off the engine and got out. “Waiting for me?” she asked, her voice high.

“Yes.” He raked a hand through his graying hair. “Well, I came to make peace with Ronni. But I hoped I might see you.”

“Make peace.” She cast a glance over his shoulder. “And did you?”

“Did we what?” He frowned, a look of confusion on his face. “Oh, make peace. Yes, I think so.”

“Although I threatened to take him to the veterinarian and get him castrated if he hurts you,” Ronni called as she left the office and headed toward the kennels.

Sian smothered a smile. “It went well, I see.”

“She’s very protective of you.” He watched, enraptured as color spread across her cheeks.

“Ronni and the other volunteers have been very kind to me.” Sian hitched her purse higher on her shoulder. “I need coffee.” He watched her walk toward him. “You need to stop doing that.”

“What?”

“Staring. You bought a pet pampering session last night. You did not buy me.” She entered the reception office and put her purse down on the desk.

“I know I didn’t buy you,” he insisted, following her inside.

“Then stop looking at me as if you own me.” She turned to face him with her arms folded in front of her, as if to ward him off.

“Sorry. This is new for me.” He rubbed his jawline which was unshaven since yesterday and the stubble prickled his hands. “I’ve never...connected with another person before.”

The air puffed out of her lungs. “What do you mean you’ve never connected with another person? I doubt you’ve gotten to your age and had no connection with a woman.”

“Not really. Not ever.” He shrugged. “I don’t mean I’m a virgin or anything.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’ve never cared for anyone else?”

“No.” Now he did feel like a virgin, a forty-something-loser in love.

“Your parents?” Her gentle voice moved him.

“My uncle raised me. And believe me, he was not the kind of man you spent any longer in a room with than was absolutely necessary.” He grimaced. “I’m not good at sharing.”

“None of us are. It takes practice.” She pressed her lips together. “Love is the greatest thing in the world, Matthew. Without it, I don’t know where I’d be.”

“Do you still love your husband?” Matthew asked. “The guy from last night?”

Sian’s shoulders sagged forward. “Oh, him. No, I don’t still love Peter. I’m not a jilted wife who wants her husband back at any cost to her soul. But that’s not to say I’m not sad my marriage broke down. I loved Peter when I said I do. It just took a while for me to figure out the man I thought I said I do to didn’t really exist.”

“Do you know why he’s here in town?” Matthew asked, although it was none of his business. He would have to earn the right to be a part of Sian’s life.

“Nope.” She shrugged it off, but her expression was wary.

“If he causes trouble...” Matthew wanted to tell Sian she could call him any time, day or night, and he would gladly rip Peter’s head off his shoulders, but he decided to keep it less melodramatic. “Just call me. I have great lawyers.”

“Matthew...” Sian moved closer toward him and the honesty in her expression made his heart wrench. “I don’t know what you are looking for exactly and I have no idea what I can give you. When I came to Bear Creek, I was ready to face the rest of my life alone.”

“And now?” he asked hopefully. How cruel fate would be to take away the one thing he wanted in this life, to deny him the one thing he craved. After all the things he’d done for business and profit, was this some kind of payback?

“I honestly don’t know.” A frown creased her brow as she fought to find the right words. “I know what this means to you. We’re mates, aren’t we?” For a moment she looked unsure, as if scared she’d got it wrong.

“We are mates. I assume you know what that means even though you aren’t a shifter yourself.” Ronni and the guy she hung around with were true mates. Was he wrong in thinking they had explained the whole process to Sian?

“I didn’t know shifters existed until two weeks ago. Ronni met Lucas and I saw it... Love at first sight. At least that’s what I called it. Then Lucas showed me his bear and Ronni explained the mating bond.” She wobbled her head as if reliving the moment. “It was a shock, believe me.” She held up her hand as if to stop him in his tracks even though he was not moving. “The girls don’t know. I thought I should tell you. I have no idea how or when I’m going to have that conversation with them.”

He gave her a crooked smile. “I’m just happy you plan to even have that conversation with them.”

“I can’t promise when. And I have no idea how they will react.” Sian sat down heavily in her chair. “As they grew up I knew I’d have to have certain conversations with them. Boys, drugs, online security. But shifters. I did not see that one coming.”

“What do you see?” he asked as he took a couple of steps closer to her.

Sian clasped her hands in her lap and stared down at them for a couple of moments. “I honestly don’t know.” She looked up at him suddenly. “Something. Nothing. I don’t know. You have a reputation for getting what you want at all costs. So all I do know is that the same behavior is not going to work here.”

He hunkered down in front of her and took hold of her hands. An instant flash of recognition passed between them. “I promise you that I will honor and respect you and your children. I won’t do anything to hurt you, or push you into a decision you might regret.” He rubbed his thumb over her fingers. “But I want you to know that this is real. We are destined to be together.”

As he held her hands and looked into her eyes, his only hope was that one day, he would find a way to prove to her that his intentions, for the first time in his life, were pure.

Chapter Five – Sian

Matthew Lewis had a reputation. And it wasn’t good.

After the stunt he pulled coming to the sanctuary under the pretense of wanting to adopt a pet, Sian had made a few calls to old colleagues inquiring as to what kind of man he was. Ruthless was about the nicest thing people had to say about him. Some of them spoke with awe, some with admiration, but no one spoke with liking.

Now, here she was faced with the prospect of building a relationship with the man, just because of some kind of mating bond that shifters believed in. Could she really abandon all reason and buy into something she couldn’t even feel for herself?

Or did she feel it?

When he touched her hands, she felt a connection with him. As he rubbed his thumb over her skin, it was as if he were touching her very soul.

“I can’t just lower my barriers and let you in.” Sian needed to protect herself, she needed to protect her children.

“I know. And I’d settle for you allowing me to dismantle those barriers one by one. I want to work hard to be the man you want, the man you deserve.” He lowered his head and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. Feelings, emotions, long since dead stirred inside her. Among those his kiss awoke was hope. Hope that there might truly be a man out there who could love her, unconditionally, for who she was. And who she could love unconditionally in return.

She nodded and pulled her hand from his to dash away a tear that trickled down her cheek. “I’m going to need time.”

He looked up at her, his soft brown eyes, threaded with amber, filled with kindness. “I can give you that. All I ask is that you give me a chance.”

“I can give you that.” She sighed and the breath shuddered through her body. “I have chores to do.”

Matthew rose to his feet and pulled her up to stand before him. “I have a house to fix up.”

“Kevin Jones’s old house?” Sian asked, sniffing loudly as she fought for control of her emotions. Matthew had stirred up a hornet’s nest of feelings she’d squashed flat when her relationship with Peter imploded.

“Yes. I planned to level the place and build luxury vacation homes on the land. But I’m having second thoughts.” He grinned and stroked her cheek. “I’m a new man already.”

Sian gave a short laugh. “You really want to live next to the shelter?”

“Don’t you?” His question took her completely by surprise.

“Me?”

“Yes, I figured since you loved this place so much and planned to open this pet grooming salon here that you might want to live close by.”

Sian reached for the back of her chair and sat down again. “I never gave it much thought.”

“One day we will live together,” he assured her.

“Confident and pushy. Your reputation precedes you,” she teased.

“And honest.” He held out his hands as if asking for mercy.

“I like honest.”

“I know you might have heard…things about me,” Matthew began, “but I want you to know I’m not a liar. I may be harsh and cruel, but I’ve never lied in business.”

“And that makes it all okay?” Sian asked bluntly.

“I thought it did. The end justified the means. But I’m willing to grow and learn. Are you willing to teach me?” Matthew asked her.

“Are you teasing me?” Sian asked.

“No. I mean it. I want to change. This is a new start for me. I’ve spent my life accumulating money, it was like a game because I had nothing else in my life. Now I have you. And your daughters. I promise you I’ll do my best for them.” His honesty choked her.

“They mean more to me than my own happiness,” she warned. “We are a package deal and if you hurt them, you hurt me,” she warned.

“Hey, I don’t intend to ever hurt them. Why would I? Children are the future. As a shifter, my goal in life is to find my mate and raise a family. If that family consists of children from another father, I don’t care.” His voice was hoarse with emotion.

“That’s more than their own father has ever done for them.” Sian put her hand over her mouth. The well of emotion building up inside her threatened to explode and she could not let him see her cry. Not really, ugly cry.

“I’m sorry,” Matthew sad simply. “For you and for him. He has no idea how lucky he is.”

“Was,” Sian corrected. “He is my past.”

“I hope I might be your future.” He gave her a boyish smile that made it hard to believe this was the same Matthew Lewis who tore his way through people’s lives leaving sadness and loss in his wake.

“Right now my future consists of cleaning out dog kennels.” She stood up and made for the door.

“When can I see you again?” he asked.

Sian turned around. “How about you come over for dinner tonight? It’s nothing special, but you are welcome to join us.”

“Really?” He sounded genuinely shocked at the invitation.

“Yes. I’ll see you about six.” She gave him a brief smile and drank in the image of him. It was the first time she’d seen him in casual clothes, and he looked equally as delicious in jeans and a sweater as he did in his smart suits.

“I’ll bring wine,” he offered.

“If you really want to make a good impression on my daughters, you could bring dessert, too.” With that, she slipped out of the office and went to find Ronni. She needed to talk to someone and Ronni was a good listener, she also understood the mating bond and since she’d only found her own mate a couple of weeks ago, she was as near to an expert in this area as anyone could get.

“There you are,” Ronni greeted Sian when she finally tracked her friend down to the nursery kennel where six playful kittens were being watched over by their harassed mom.

“Here I am.” Sian joined Ronni watching as the kittens tumbled over each other, biting and kicking their siblings with their little teeth and claws.

“How is Matthew?” Ronni asked.

“He’s good. At least he is good right now.” She arched an eyebrow at Ronni. “What do you think?”

“About what?” Ronni asked, picking up a small ball and throwing it for the kittens to chase.

“Matthew.”

“Any specific area you would like me to comment on?” Ronni asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sian giggled. “Well, I have my own opinions on his handsome face and long, lean thighs.” She blushed as she spoke, and Ronni collapsed into a fit of giggles.

“He sure is handsome. And strong. I always thought property developers were pasty-faced and wimpy due to all the time they spend inside doing big deals and ruining people’s lives.”

Sian drew a breath and let it out slowly. “Do you think he can change?”

“He already has.” Ronni turned her full attention on Sian. “The man that walked into the reception office this morning is not the same man who came here two weeks ago. Did that happen overnight? I suspect it did. Meeting you gave him a new focus, it gave his life meaning.”

“Can I trust him?” That was the most important question for Sian.

Ronni paused. “I think you can trust him more than anyone else in the world.”

“That’s a guarded answer.”

“It’s the only honest answer I can give. We can never know anyone, not truly. But what I do know is that Matthew would never do anything to intentionally hurt you, and that is something that could not be said for anyone else you will ever meet.” Ronni turned back to the kittens. “They are ready to go to their new homes.”

“The girls will be happy. Although my boiler is not working properly, and the house is freezing, so I might have to postpone taking them home for a couple of days.” Sian had woken up this morning to a freezing cold house. She’d lit the fire in the sitting room and they’d all huddled around it, but it barely took the chill off the rest of the house.

“Do you have someone coming to repair it?” Ronni asked.

“I called the landlord and he said he would call someone out. But he isn’t always fast at picking up the phone and calling in contractors. So it might be a couple of days.” Sian shuddered at the thought. Bear Creek was cold in the winter, snow flurries had been covering the ground in a white sugar-like coating for days. “If the temperature plummets much more we’ll be coming to live in the back room at the shelter. At least it has heating.”

“I can ask around if anyone has some portable heaters you can use. If you are really stuck, my mom and dad can squeeze you all in, I’m sure.” Ronni put her arm around Sian. “What’s wrong?”

“This is our first Christmas on our own and it’s going to be pretty miserable if our luck doesn’t change.”

“Maybe Peter came to sign the papers for the divorce and you’ll get the money from the house. Plus a big maintenance check.” Ronni knew how tight things were financially for Sian and the girls since Peter had stayed in the marital home and refused to pay toward the girls. Sian had taken him to court, but that had further drained her finances even though the court had ruled in her favor.

“Peter is never going to do anything without being forced to. I have a feeling he is here to renegotiate. Knowing Peter, he’ll wait until we’re really miserable and then come in for the kill.”

“Can he do that?” Ronni asked. “I thought the courts had told him to sell the house and give you half.”

“The courts did, but Peter thinks he is above the court. He can’t understand why he has to sell the house since I was the one who walked out. He sees his affair as my fault. That I drove him into the arms of another woman because I no longer slept in the same bed as him. He can’t understand why. He can’t see how wrong his behavior was.” Sian took a breath. “But I’m not going to allow him to bully me anymore.”

“Good girl.” Ronni picked up one of the kittens and handed it to Sian. “Here, have a cuddle.”

Sian hugged the small kitten close. “You’ll be home with us by Christmas.” Possibly. Hopefully. If their rented house was fit for them to live in.

“Maybe you could ask Matthew if you can move in with him.” Ronni’s suggestion was met by a shocked face from Sian.

“I couldn’t do that!”

“Why not? You are just putting off the inevitable,” Ronni sounded too rational.

“It’s not inevitable. I’m not going to go along with this mating bond thing just because I’m supposed to. I have a life of my own. I have free will. I’m not simply going to roll over and do as I’m told.”

“Are you talking about Matthew or Peter?” Ronni asked.

“Both.” She held up the kitten and gazed at it. “I came to Bear Creek with the intention of never dating again. If things don’t work out, I’ll go back to that plan.”

“But you are going to give Matthew a chance?” Ronni asked with concern.

“Sure, he’s coming over for dinner tonight,” Sian smiled suddenly. “I should have told him to wear something warm.”

“I think he’s hot enough,” Ronni joked. “Anyway, he has bear shifter blood, he doesn’t feel the cold. Maybe he could stay over and warm your bed up for you.”

Sian giggled nervously. “You don’t think that’s what he’s expecting, do you?”

“Staying over?” Ronni asked. “No, I think he realizes he has to take it slow.”

“Good. Because I am not ready for anything more than dinner.” Sian put the kitten back with its brothers and sisters. “Let’s get the kennels cleaned out. I have to go to the store on the way home and figure out what I’m going to feed him.”

“Come on then. I need to get my chores done and then head over to my lawyer’s office.” An edge of nervousness tinged Ronni’s words.

“Today’s the day you buy the shelter.” Sian hugged Ronni. “It’ll be fine.”

“It’s going to take a few days to go through. But, yes, today is the day I sign the contracts. It’s been a long journey, but it finally feels as if it’s coming to an end.” Ronni hugged Sian tightly. “And your job is to keep that man of yours busy, so he doesn’t suddenly decide he wants to make trouble for the shelter. I’m not sure I’m willing to trust him a hundred percent yet.”

Sian pulled away from Ronni, wanting to reassure her. “I believe he has changed. I don’t think he’d go back on what he’s said.”

Ronni grinned at Sian. “So does this mean you are willing to give him a chance?”

“I suppose it must.” Sian didn’t sound certain and she didn’t feel certain, but who did when it came to love?

Unless you were a shifter, of course.

Chapter Six – Matthew

After his meeting with Sian, Matthew headed back to the house he’d purchased from Kevin Jones. He itched to shift and head into the mountains to work off some of his pent-up stress.

It was difficult to step into a new skin and be the benevolent one instead of the malevolent one.

He smiled to himself. Love and the mating bond were going to have to carry some pretty heavy juju if he was going to permanently change. But permanent change was what he needed to do if he was going to win Sian’s heart and make her happy. She was right, he hadn’t bought her mind, body, and spirit, he’d simply bought her for an afternoon.

Which gave him an idea.

He’d bought a pet pampering afternoon. But what if he turned it on its head and pampered Sian for the afternoon? With maybe an evening tagged on.

Time to make a plan.

At this point, planning an afternoon was easier than planning the rest of his life. Which was going to need a complete overhaul. Could he be the man Sian deserved, the man she needed?

Matthew turned off the narrow back road that wound its way along the foot of the mountains and drove along the pitted gravel driveway to what once must have been a welcoming timber-framed farmhouse. It needed a lot of work to get it back to its former glory. Work he never intended to do when he agreed on the purchase, since his goal on buying it was to rip it down and build two stunning houses that would appeal to shifters seeking an escape to the country.

However, the more time he spent here, the more he felt at home. And for a man who had never had a home before, that was something...special.

It would be even more special if eventually Sian and her daughters came to call the old house a home, too.

Matthew got out of his car and strode toward the front porch that needed complete replacing. Rot had set in from a leaking roof shingle a few years ago. The shingle had never been fixed and the rot had spread. He was certain there was some kind of analogy there which related to his own life, but he wasn’t in the mood to peruse it. He didn’t need to look inside himself to know there was a part of him that had shriveled up and rotted away enough years ago that it was beyond saving.

He sighed and bent down to examine the porch timbers. Maybe Sian deserved something more than Matthew Lewis, a man of wealth and power, but who was incapable of love.

Hard work had always been his escape and since his drive to build on the land belonging to the house had been put on hold, he might as well wallow in physical labor, just as he had when he started out from nothing.

After half an hour of pulling the timbers up by hand, he decided he needed to go buy some tools. The surge of excitement that bubbled up inside him was just plain sad. But he enjoyed it all the same. He’d gotten out of touch with his feelings. At an early age, he’d learned to squash them down and seal them in a small box, so his uncle could never use them to hurt him.

As he got back into his car and started the engine, he was struck by a sudden thought. If he was going to be the man he needed to be for Sian, he was going to have to find the key for that locked box and open the sucker up.

Driving to town, he focused on the mountain roads and the houses dotted alongside them. The town of Bear Creek had grown over centuries from a small hamlet, where shifters had sought a safe haven, to the thriving town it was today. That much he’d gleaned from the museum displays last night. Not that they had mentioned shifters directly, but he’d read enough between the lines to make his own connections. If he ever was to set down roots, this was the kind of place he’d dreamed of.

“Hi there.” A young woman pushing a baby in a stroller greeted him as he got out of his car outside the hardware store.

“Hi.” He didn’t know her but forced a smile onto his face.

“That was a wonderful gesture.” She touched his arm, her smile broadening.

“It was?” He looked a little dazed.

“Yes, giving the shelter so much money. It was a beautiful gift.” She turned and walked away from him and he swung around to head into the hardware store.

“Hi, Matthew, isn’t it?” The store owner greeted him from behind the counter.

“Yes, it is.” Slightly bemused, he nodded and made his way to the tool section.

The store owner slid out from behind his counter and came to join him. “What do you need?”

“A hammer, maybe a crowbar.” He picked up a hammer and tested the weight of it in his hand.

“What kind of job are you doing?” The guy wiped his hand and then offered it to Matthew. “I’m Gus, by the way. The best hardware store in town.” His smile told Matthew this was the only hardware store in town. But it was well stocked and had everything most people would need.

“It’s a good store.” Matthew liked the feel of the hammer and turned his attention back to what else he might need. “I’m working on a timber porch.”

“Oh, you bought Jeremiah Jones’s old place, didn’t you?” Gus said with a nod.

“Kevin Jones,” Matthew corrected.

“Oh, Kevin was Jeremiah’s son. But he moved away a few years ago. I don’t know why. I don’t know why a man would want to leave here, but to each their own.” Gus rubbed his chin. “A timber porch you say. How much damage is there?”

“A fair bit, the roof leaked and rotted out the boards.” Matthew reached for a saw, but Gus stopped him.

“You want one of these. Cuts wood like a knife through butter.” Gus nodded.

“Thanks.” Matthew let Gus guide him around the store and after an hour he was loading the tools into the trunk of his car.

“You need a work vehicle,” Gus told him bluntly as Matthew closed his trunk. “You’re gonna ruin your car.”

“I’ll manage for now, thanks.”

As Matthew waved goodbye to Gus and got in his car, he realized he no longer cared if he ruined his paintwork or dirtied the trunk. Life was for living, tools were for working and his car might once have been his pride and joy, but it was a status symbol. One he no longer needed.

Rolling down the window despite the cold temperature, Matthew cruised out of town, taking in the color of the landscape around him. Shades of green, the blue of the winter sky and the browns of the naked trees.

His life was in the same dormant phase and he hoped he could find the seed of new life inside himself and let it unfurl and grow. Just as he needed to plant the seed of love in Sian’s heart and nurture it and let it grow. But first, he planned to start rebuilding the house, with the help of his new tools.

Matthew parked his car in front of the house and emptied the trunk of all the tools. They were all too new and shiny and he planned to put that right straight away. Without grabbing a cup of coffee first, he set to work prying the old wooden planks up and setting them aside. He worked hard, spurred on by the need to prove to Sian he was husband material. Even though she wasn’t here and had no idea of the work he was doing.

You are building them a home, his bear chimed in.

Matthew lifted his head and thought about that for a moment. That’s true. I’m trying to build a home, a den for Sian and her daughters. And any children we might have of our own. Was that a thing Sian might agree to? He would love to go through a pregnancy with her and watch her belly swell as their child grew inside her.

But that was thinking too far ahead. He’d known Sian for less than a day and it might need a little more time before he started talking about babies.

Once he’d assessed the timber boards, he concentrated on the supporting beams. They appeared sound and so he noted down the amount of new lumber he needed to buy before putting his tools away and going inside for a much-needed mug of coffee and some lunch.

Kevin Jones had left most of the contents of the house behind when he sold up. All he’d packed were the photographs off the wall and some personal items that belonged to his father. Everything else he had no need for, his words as he handed over the keys were, “What you don’t want, take to a thrift store or throw in the trash.”

Kevin’s relationship with his late father was strained, Matthew didn’t need to be a relationship counselor to see that. Was this how Sian’s kids would wind up thinking about their dad when he died? Damn, that man had no idea of what he was missing out on. Two beautiful, smart daughters, and their equally beautiful and smart mom. If ever a man had made a mistake in life, Peter took the prize.

But Peter’s loss was Matthew’s gain and he was going to step in and help Sian’s kids in any way he could.

After eating his lunch, he washed up and then set about catching up on his business via his phone in the makeshift office he’d set up in one of the upstairs rooms. It had a great view across the mountains and the internet reception on his phone was good. He might never go to his small suite of offices again. He only kept them for a postal address. Up until now, Matthew had lived out of hotel rooms up and down the country as he built his business.

Settling down and putting down roots was a good move. One he was ready for.

More than ready for.

And his bear agreed. It was time for them to open up to all of life’s true potential.

Chapter Seven – Sian

Sian stared at the boiler as if she could use her mental powers to make it work.

“It’s fine, we can light the fire in the sitting room and the kitchen will warm up once the oven is on.” Ella’s words were met by a look of horror from her mom.

“Matthew is coming for dinner, he’ll be here at six.” She closed the door on the boiler and pulled her coat back on. At least bear shifters had warm blood, from what she’d learned from Ronni. Hopefully, Matthew wouldn’t even notice the chilled air.

“I’ll help.” Ella went to the kitchen and glanced at the items on the counter. “You’re making your special pasta sauce.”

Sian picked up the tomatoes and inhaled their fresh tangy aroma. “So?”

“So nothing. I’m just saying.” Ella smiled secretly to herself and filled a pan of water and set it to boil.

“I just want it to be nice. Matthew donated a large amount of money to the animal shelter and this is my way of saying thank you.” Sian looked up as Rachel entered the kitchen.

“Inviting someone to dinner in a freezing cold house, that’s some way to say thank you.” She pulled her sweater tighter around her neck and stood in front of the old stove to get warm.

“Ronni said she’d try to get hold of some portable heaters for us.” Guilt swept over Sian. “I’m sorry about the heat.”

Rachel snorted. “It’s not your fault, is it? If Dad wasn’t being such an asshole, we’d have a decent place to live.”

Sian and Ella exchanged glances. It had been an unspoken rule that none of them spoke ill of Peter. But it was proving next to impossible as their circumstances deteriorated.

“Tomorrow, I’ll go and find a better-paying job.” Sian put the tomatoes in the pan. “I can still volunteer a few hours a week at the shelter. The pet grooming business can wait until we’re settled.”

“No, Mom, that isn’t what I meant.” Rachel hugged Sian and Ella joined her mother and sister, too.

“I know it wasn’t. But the business is going to take a while to build up and I don’t think I can rely on the money from the sale of the house.” She kissed both her daughters on the head.

“Why not?” Ella asked as she went back to the stove and placed the pasta in the boiling water. “I thought everything was settled.”

“No.” Sian shook her head and exchanged a quick glance with Rachel.

“What have I missed?” Ella asked.

“Dad was at the museum last night,” Rachel blurted out.

“He couldn’t have been, he would have come and said hello.” The hurt in Ella’s voice pierced Sian’s heart. As much as Rachel was resigned to being let down by her father, Ella was determined to see the best in him, even when there was nothing good to see.

“He’s the jerk who made the low bid before Matthew stepped in.” Rachel ignored the glare from her mom and turned to face Ella. “He did it to embarrass Mom. But I doubt he came all this way just to do that, so he’s going to try to make Mom accept less money in the divorce settlement.”

“We don’t know that,” Sian stated firmly. “Maybe he was just passing through.” She didn’t need this conversation right now. Not when Matthew would be here in fifteen minutes.

“But if he was passing through, why didn’t he come by and say hello?” Rachel persisted.

“I don’t know,” Sian admitted.

“He wouldn’t go back on the settlement, the courts told him he had to give you half the money from the house. And money to support us.” Ella looked from her mom to her sister, imploring them to help her see sense in all this.

“I honestly don’t know,” Sian said gently. “I haven’t seen him since the museum. I haven’t heard from him.” Which didn’t mean he’d walked away. Peter was a control freak who enjoyed making people suffer. This was one of his games, he’d made his presence known and now he was leaving her to stew.

What she found unforgivable was that he was also playing with Ella and Rachel’s emotions, too.

“Maybe he came to town to give us Christmas gifts,” Ella suggested.

Sian nodded. “Maybe he did.” She stirred the tomatoes and added herbs. “I’m sure he’ll be in touch when he’s ready.”

“When he’s ready...” Rachel left the sentence hanging. They all knew Peter worked on his own agenda and no one else’s.

How had she not seen what kind of a man he was? Sian beat herself up about that every single day. But she couldn’t regret marrying him, not when she had two beautiful children standing in her kitchen that wouldn’t be here if her life had been different.

“Can we not talk about Dad anymore?” Ella asked, the emotion in her voice silencing Rachel.

“Sure, we could talk about the weather.” Rachel raised her eyebrows. “What? I’m not joking, someone in the grocery store reckoned we were going to get a good helping of snow and it was going to be one of the coldest winters for years.”

“Great.” Sian shook her head and wiped her hands on her apron. “I’m going to give Mr. Wendell a call. I don’t usually like to disturb someone in the evening, but the boiler needs fixing.”

She went to her purse and pulled out her cell phone. Scrolling through her contacts list, she found Mr. Wendell’s number. Tapping the screen, she waited for him to answer. He didn’t.

“Maybe he’s screening his calls,” Rachel suggested.

Sian sighed and dialed again. And again, no answer.

“I’ll go over there tomorrow and knock on his door until he answers,” Sian said, her temper rising. Mr. Wendell had promised to get someone in to look at the boiler today. There was no way they could stay in the house with only one fireplace to heat the whole house. Not if the temperature was going to plummet further.

“Maybe we could all camp out in the living room around the fire,” Ella suggested.

“Like when we were kids. We could make a tent out of blankets.” Rachel grinned at the idea.

And no Peter to tell them to put it all away, Sian thought, remembering only too well how he hated messes in the house when he got home from work.

“I like that idea, we can sit and watch old movies all huddled together.” Sian went back to her sauce. The tomatoes were simmering nicely, and the smell of herbs filled the room, reminding her of summer. She had plans to plant an herb garden next year, she wanted to experiment with adding them to creams and lotions for her pet salon.

But maybe she should postpone her plans and get a job with a good wage. She loved the animal shelter and the experience she’d gained working with all the different animals was priceless. But it didn’t pay the bills.

Damn it. She gave the sauce an extra hard stir, sending droplets of red spraying over her hand and staining her apron. Why couldn’t Peter stick to their financial arrangement? Why did he think he knew better than the courts?

A wave of guilt swept over her. Perhaps she had it wrong and he really had come here to see his family.

“Someone’s at the door,” Ella said excitedly as she swung around and headed out of the kitchen.

“Are you okay, Mom?” Rachel asked as Sian dropped the spoon into the pan and caused a tomato eruption.

“Yes. Just a little nervous.” Sian’s hands fluttered to her hair. Why did her insides feel as if they were on the outside? She was too old and jaded to feel like this.

“Oh my god, you like him!” Rachel exclaimed in a hushed whisper.

Sian looked down guiltily. “No.”

“Mom.” Rachel put her hand on her mom’s arm. “It’s okay.”

Sian shook her head, feeling like a schoolgirl on a first date, confused by the new feelings that rushed through her. “I don’t know him. He has a reputation for playing hardball.”

“All hearsay.” Rachel arched an eyebrow. “Give him a chance. I know you swore to be a nun when you left Dad, but you don’t have to worry about me and Ella. We understand. And you deserve happiness and love in your life.”

“I have love. And happiness,” Sian insisted.

“Not the weak at the knees, melt your heart kind of love.” Rachel sounded older than her years, but for once she also sounded hopeful. Could it be that if Sian found love and a good man to spend her life with, her daughter might lose a little of her cynical nature?

“I thought true love was only in the movies.” Sian hugged her daughter tightly as Ella’s voice carried through to the kitchen.

“The movies and my mom.” Rachel hugged Sian so tightly she could hardly breathe.

“And my daughters,” Sian told her firmly. “You two deserve the best.”

“We’ve got the best. The best mom.” Rachel pulled away and went to the pasta, giving it a stir while she wiped her eyes and composed herself.

“Mom.” Ella stood at the door alone. There was no sign of Matthew. Sian was shocked at her disappointment.

“What’s wrong?” Sian asked as Ella came into the room and gave her mom a hug.

“Mr. Wendell’s daughter. She wanted to let us know her dad is in hospital. He got taken to the ER with a suspected heart attack.” Ella pulled back from Sian. “I feel so bad since we were complaining about him not fixing the boiler.”

“We didn’t know he was ill.” Sian smoothed her daughter’s hair and kissed the top of her head. “Perhaps when he’s feeling better, we can go visit him in the hospital and take him a gift and a card.”

Ella nodded, her face pale. “So, it looks as if the campout in the living room is back on.”

“I guess it is.” Sian shuddered at the thought of not having heat for days, if not weeks.

“We could go to the thrift shop and buy all their thermal clothes and layer them on until we have to walk around like this.” Rachel stomped around the kitchen with her arms outstretched and her legs straight. Sian and Ella collapsed into a fit of laughter. Which was just what they needed.

“Is it bad to laugh when Mr. Wendell is ill?” Ella asked a few minutes later as she set the plates down on the table.

“No, it’s not. We’re not laughing at him. We’re laughing because your sister is a goofball.” Sian picked up a small spoon and tasted the fresh pasta sauce. “There’s a difference, but you already knew that.”

“The pasta is done; the garlic bread is in the oven. All we need now is your mysterious Matthew Lewis and we can eat.” Rachel looked at the watch on her wrist. “I hope he’s coming.”

Sian glanced at her phone. “There are still a couple of minutes to go.” She went to the front door and opened it to look down the street. The sight of Matthew standing in the doorway with a bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine in one hand and a gooey chocolate dessert in the other nearly gave her a heart attack.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you jump.” He looked concerned as she placed her hand over her heart which was racing wildly.

“I didn’t expect you to be standing there,” Sian accused as she inhaled deeply and calmed herself.

“I was early.” He gave her a sheepish grin.

“Come in.” She stepped back and held the door wide open for him.

Matthew squeezed past her, his arm rubbing against hers and a thrill of excitement coursed through her. With trembling hands, she closed the door behind him and then turned around. He was blocking the small hallway, his broad shoulders nearly as wide as the gap between the walls, that really needed a new coat of paint.

Was she really thinking of decorating when Matthew was standing so close to her, she could feel the heat from his body emanating toward her? Sian’s fingers itched to slide under his thick woolen coat and absorb some of his body heat.

“Are you all right?” Matthew asked.

“Me?” Her eyes flicked up to his. She’d been staring at his broad chest. “Oh, yes.” She shook her head as if she were trying to recover from a hard blow. If she squinted, she could actually see stars.

“I brought these for you.” He thrust the bouquet of flowers toward her.

“Thank you.” She reached out to accept the flowers. “Why don’t you come through to the kitchen?”

Matthew nodded but didn’t move. “This way.”

She pointed behind him and he said, “Oh. Yes.”

Sian hid a smile as she slipped past him, but the smile soon melted away. A frisson of electricity sparked between them and she had to put her hand out and press it against the wall to stop her knees from giving out on her. If she had ever doubted the mating bond could exist between a shifter and non-shifter, she was now sure it could. She might not have the same genes as Matthew, she might not have his unique gift, but she sure as hell knew he was the one for her. She knew it with such intense conviction that it physically hurt.

“Easy there.” His gruff voice filled with the same emotions that threatened to rob her of her senses made her insides turn to liquid fire. His hand reached for her and he cupped her elbow in his strong hand. As his fingers curled around her flesh, she conjured up images of him touching her body, stroking her skin from head to foot.

“Thanks. I’m okay now,” she told him. However, she paused and composed herself before she led him into the relative warmth of the kitchen.

“Something smells good.” Matthew’s voice was smooth and charming.

“Mom cooked her special pasta sauce,” Rachel told Matthew.

“I’m honored,” Matthew bowed his head at her. Goodness, she had no idea how she was going to get through this dinner seeing as how each time she looked at him he took her breath away.

“It’s nothing special, just a few tomatoes and garlic and herbs.” She clamped her mouth shut. Even to her own ears, she sounded like a babbling fool.

“Shall I take the wine?” Rachel offered.

“Shall I take the chocolate cake?” Ella added brightly.

“Shall I take your coat?” Sian asked.

Matthew gave a deep chuckle. “Thank you.”

Sian went back out into the hallway, conscious of his eyes following her, while Rachel opened the bottle of wine and Ella put the cake on the counter and then fetched a vase for the flowers. “Sit down, please.”

“Thanks.” Matthew lowered himself into one of the chairs, looking too big for the small kitchen.

Rachel fetched four wine glasses and poured wine into two, which she placed on the table and then filled two with soda. “Is there anything else I can do?”

“No, you sit down.” Sian dished the pasta up and Ella retrieved the garlic bread from the oven. She lingered a little longer than necessary, warming herself on the hot air that enveloped her. “Come on, let’s eat and then we can go into the sitting room.”

Sian shivered as she sat down across the table from Matthew.

“The lack of heating is a choice?” he asked as he waited for Ella to place the plate of garlic bread on the table and then sit down. She inched her chair backward to make the most of the heat escaping from the oven.

“No, the boiler broke and our landlord has been rushed to the hospital,” Rachel replied.

Concern covered Matthew’s face. “You have a backup heating source?”

“We have a fire,” Sian said as she took a sip of her wine. “This is good.”

“Thanks. I rarely drink wine, but I have learned to appreciate it.” He took a sip and placed the glass down carefully on the table. “Have you heard the forecast?”

Sian picked up her fork and began to eat, the cold already gripping her fingers. If they didn’t have a guest, they would have taken their plates and eaten in front of the TV with the fire spitting and crackling in the grate. “We were just discussing it.”

“And?” Matthew asked.

“And we’ll manage.” This was not how she expected the evening to begin.

“You could come to my house.”

Sian nearly dropped her fork and the two girls stared at Matthew in shock. “I don’t think that’s appropriate.”

“No. I mean we could house swap. You could move to my house and I could stay here. At least that way if the snow gets really bad, you would be close to the animal shelter.” Matthew stared at the stunned faces before him.

“You’re offering us Kevin Jones’s house?” Sian asked incredulously.

“Yes. It needs work, but it’s warm and watertight.” He looked a little nervous as they continued to stare.

“I don’t know what to say.” Sian placed her fork down on her plate. “It’s such a kind gesture. But...”

Matthew held his hands up. “No strings.”

Sian shook her head. “We can’t.”

“Why not?” Matthew asked.

“Yeah, Mom, why not?” Ella echoed.

Sian had no idea why not. It was such a generous offer. They would be warm and dry, and close to the shelter. It was a perfect solution.

But she simply wasn’t ready to be indebted to Matthew Lewis any more than she already was.

Chapter Eight – Matthew

Not only had he given a sackload of money toward the shelter because his mate loved volunteering there, but now he was offering to give up the house he’d just bought.

All for a woman.

If anyone had told him this is what he’d be doing when he came to Bear Creek, he’d have laughed in their faces and told them they did not know him well at all. But then nobody did know him. He’d shut everyone out when he shut down his emotions long ago. Work had been his mantra; hard work had been his ethic.

Now he’d met Sian and all that had changed. He’d changed. If she asked him to, he’d give away his whole fortune. Although, he’d rather spend it on his mate and her children, and that damn animal shelter if he had to.

“You don’t have to give me an answer now. Think about it.” He skewered a piece of pasta with his fork and ate it, savoring the taste. “This is delicious.”

“Thanks,” Sian answered quietly, while her daughters exchanged glances.

“So what have you been doing since you came to Bear Creek?” Rachel asked, mature enough to steer the conversation into calmer waters.

“I’ve been getting to know the town and some of the people in it.” He bit into a piece of garlic bread and practically drooled. His woman knew how to cook, and after a life living on room service and restaurant meals, he was ready for a life sitting around the family table. “Today I went to the hardware store and met the owner. Gus helped me pick out the tools I need to work on the property.” He looked up, a sudden thought hitting him. “The old house needs a name. I know everyone calls it Jeremiah’s old house, but it’s mine now.”

“Oh, can we help name it?” Ella asked excitedly.

“Sure.” Matthew smiled a nice wide, genuine smile.

“Are you keeping the house?” Sian asked. “Only that might determine what you call it.”

“I didn’t plan to when I bought it,” he admitted. “But the more work I do on the old place the more I like it. The view of the mountains is one of the best in the area. And the back trails lead through the lower hills and into the mountains without having to take a step on the road.”

“Sounds as if you’ve fallen in love with the place,” Ella said, leaning forward. “So what are you going to call it?”

“What about something with bear in the name?” Rachel asked, and Sian stopped eating, her fork halfway to her mouth.

Matthew glanced at her nervously. Did they know about shifters?

“What did you have in mind?” Matthew asked, keeping his tone level.

“Bear’s Rest.” Rachel nodded happily at her own idea.

“That sounds like an inn or a hotel,” Ella challenged.

“I like it,” Matthew admitted. “It seems somehow appropriate.”

“In what way?” Sian asked, her interest piqued.

“Because for the first time in my life I think I’m ready to settle down. Which is kind of new for me since I’ve never had a place to call home before.” Matthew kept his eyes focused on his plate even though he could hardly resist the urge to look at Sian for her response.

“You must have had a home. When you were a child? With your mom and dad?” Ella finished her pasta and clasped her hands around her arms as the heat from the oven completely dissipated into the freezing cold kitchen.

“I never knew my parents,” Matthew had never shared his story with anyone before. It was no one else’s business. His story was part of him. Not something he ever opened up about.

“Never?” Rachel asked appalled.

“No. They died in a car crash when I was a baby.” He’d never realized what he’d missed until he saw Sian with her daughters. They were a family, even if there was no husband and father around.

“Who raised you?” Sian asked.

“My uncle.” Matthew gave a small laugh. “He only agreed to take me in because I came with a house and an income.”

“But he raised you all the same.” Ella’s voice was no more than a whisper.

“He raised me because that was the condition of my parents’ will. But raising a child can be interpreted in many ways.” At night, lying in bed alone, in that place between awake and asleep, he could still hear his uncle’s raised voice as he rained blows down on his sister’s child. “He wasn’t a kind man.”

“But I thought that family was...” Sian furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to convey some kind of message. Then he understood, Ella and Rachel didn’t know about shifters.

Well, that’s going to be an interesting conversation, his bear said sagely.

It also means they don’t know how much their mom means to me. He looked from one girl to the other. Even without that knowledge, they had accepted him into their home.

“My uncle was my mom’s brother. I have my father’s genes.” Matthew saw the understanding in Sian’s expression.

“So he didn’t have the same instinct to protect his nephew.” She raised her wine glass to her lips and took a gulp. “That’s terrible.”

“It made me the man I am,” he admitted. “Or the man I was.”

“Did you kick him out of your house when you were old enough to inherit?” Rachel asked as she, too, finished her pasta.

“No. By the time I was old enough to inherit, there was nothing left. My uncle never did have a work ethic.” Matthew laughed as he saw their appalled faces. “I can see you’ll invite me to dinner again since I tell such happy family stories.”

Sian got up from the table and her hand brushed against him as she collected the plates. A surge of warmth swept through him. A sense of home.

“What did you do?” Ella asked gently.

Matthew jerked his attention away from thoughts of Sian. Away from the realization that anywhere she was, he’d be home. A lump formed in his throat and he coughed to clear it before he spoke. “I resolved to never be reliant on another person again. I worked hard at whatever job I could get until I finally ended up on a construction site. The hours were long, the work was hard, but the money I earned meant I could save up for a house of my own.”

“So you did have a home,” Rachel said, leaning back in her chair almost triumphantly.

“My first house was a two-bedroom dilapidated shack which I renovated and sold for a profit.” He gave a wry smile. “I then bought another dilapidated shack and repeated the process.”

“You should be proud of yourself,” Sian told him. “You did what most people could never do. You made it on your own.”

“Once I started, I was scared to stop,” he admitted. “Scared someone would come along and take it all away from me. So I fought for each penny, I bargained and hustled until that’s all I knew how to do.”

“You do have a reputation,” Sian said as she set the cake down on the table along with four plates.

“A reputation of buying the best chocolate dessert in the store,” Ella said with a warning look at her mom.

Sian let a smile play over her lips. “That is one reputation that goes a long way in this house.”

His mate cut the cake and passed the plates around. The conversation shifted to school and the holidays which were right around the corner.

“Mary-Anne says when it gets really cold, the creek freezes and you can ice skate on it,” Ella announced. “I don’t think I’ve ever ice skated, have I?”

“No, you haven’t,” Sian confirmed.

“So if the creek freezes this year, can we go?” Ella asked.

“We don’t have ice skates,” Rachel reminded her sister and backed it up with a subtle look that Matthew saw, but Sian did not as she spooned a mouthful of cake into her mouth.

Ella sighed and let the subject drop. “That was a delicious cake, Matthew. Thank you.”

“Thank you for your company. I have not eaten a home-cooked meal for... I can’t remember.” He stood up and said, “Can I help with the dishes?”

“You can,” Sian agreed. “Although I didn’t know if you knew how to do dishes.”

“I must admit I live off room service and restaurants.” He rolled his sleeves up. “But I am always willing to try something once.”

“Does that mean we can go and sit in the living room?” Rachel asked. “I have homework to finish up.” She gritted her teeth together to stop them from chattering.

“Go ahead,” Sian said.

“First, I’m going to put an extra sweater on.” She left the kitchen and Ella followed.

“Thanks for dinner, Mom. And thanks for doing the dishes, Matthew.” Ella winked and bolted for the living room.

“It was Ella’s turn to do the dishes,” Sian explained.

“Ah, so I’ve made a good first impression.” Matthew picked up a wine glass and dried it before placing it carefully on the counter.

“I think you did that last night.” Sian looked over her shoulder and pressed her lips together, a troubled look crossing her eyes.

“What?” he asked, adding another wine glass to his growing collection of dried dishes.

“I can’t figure you out.”

“Is that a good thing?” He tilted his chin. “There’s nothing wrong with a little mystery in our lives.”

She smiled despite herself. “I don’t want mystery. I want straightforward. I want openness.”

He dried his hands and placed them on her back, trying to reassure her, as she stared down at the soap suds. “I can give you whatever you want.”

When she looked at him, her eyes shone brightly with tears. “I don’t know what I want.”

“Then we’ll find out together.” He moved his hands higher and placed them on her shoulders. Turning her to face him, he said, “This is new for me. I had a path that I thought I was traveling on. At my age, I figured mates and families were something that had passed me by.” He gave a wry smile. “I’ve never told anyone this before, but part of me thought it was a punishment for my past behavior in business. Don’t worry, I know exactly what people say about me.”

“And is it true?” Sian asked, her eyes meeting his.

He nodded, a sadness covering him. “I shut my feelings and emotions away. I learned to keep my eyes fixed firmly on my end goal and each time I reached it, I moved it further away. Because what else was there?”

“I’m sorry. About your uncle.” Sian reached up and stroked his cheek. “It breaks my heart to think of a small boy alone in the world.”

“I’m not alone now.” He turned his head and kissed her fingers.

“Subtle.” Her breasts rose heavily, and her eyes dilated as they fixed on his mouth. If he was reading the signs right, she wanted him to kiss her.

Was he reading the signs right? Matthew was an expert at reading body language in a boardroom, but not that of the woman who was his mate.

To hell with it. He lowered his head and captured her lips with his, Sian sighed against him and circled his neck with her arms. She tasted of garlic and tomatoes and he savored every moment of their first kiss.

Then, she jumped back as if his touch had shocked her. “Sorry,” she whispered.

He looked up as the sound of footsteps bounding down the stairs reached him through the fog of desire in his brain. “No problem.”

Sian plunged her hands in the water and cursed lightly. “The water is cold. I’ll have to boil the kettle again.”

“Listen, I wasn’t joking about house swapping. You can go live in my house, as long as you don’t mind me being there during the day to fix the place up. Then I’ll come back here and sleep.” He shrugged. “I honestly don’t mind. And in some ways, you’ll be doing me a favor.”

“How do you figure that?” she asked as she put the kettle on to boil.

“Think of it as me making amends for all my past actions.” He nodded in encouragement. “I’m trying to trade my bad deeds for good ones.”

“I see.”

“Come on. Help a guy out,” he pleaded.

“Us swapping houses will honestly make you feel better?” Sian asked, leaning back on the counter and studying him closely.

“Yes.” He pointed the spoon he’d just finished drying at her. “And think about it. You want to open your pet salon at the shelter. You won’t have to travel back and forth from Bear Creek to get there.”

“Okay, enough of the hard sell.” She looked around the kitchen and then closed her eyes. “Thank you.”

“You accept?” He cracked a smile. Victory had never tasted sweeter.

“I accept.” She poked him in the chest. “But only until the boiler is fixed. I know your reputation, Matthew Lewis. You are devious.”

He chuckled. “You mean the way I’ve moved you into my house as if I was doing you a favor?”

He dodged the wet dishcloth she threw at him. “I could always change my mind.”

“Don’t,” he said seriously. “You can’t stay here, it’s freezing. And if we get the snowfall they predict, the animals will need you close by.”

“What about you?”

“I have four paws. I can trek out to the house.” He picked up the next plate to dry. “Although Gus at the hardware store had a point when he said I needed a truck. My car is built for comfort, but these mountain roads need a bigger beast.”

“Are you talking about yourself?” Sian asked.

“Funny. Although I am a big beast.” She blushed at his words and he burst out laughing. “I meant my broad shoulders. Not anything else.”

“You’re going to need broad shoulders if you want us in your life.” Sian drained the sink and dried her hands. “Do you really know what you are getting yourself into?”

“No, I don’t think I do and for a man who is used to planning everything meticulously down to the last detail, that’s scary.” He slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her close. “But you know what?”

She shook her head as she rested it on his chest.

“I don’t care.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Coming here, meeting you has made me feel alive. And I want to share it all with you.”

Chapter Nine – Sian

“And how did the big date go?” Ronni was waiting in the office when Sian arrived at the shelter the following morning.

“It wasn’t a date,” Sian insisted.

“Really?” Ronni asked. “You have that glow about you that only comes from an enjoyable evening. Like a date.”

“For your information, my daughters were present the whole time.” Sian stopped walking and cast her eyes upward. “Well, nearly the whole time.”

“Did he kiss you?” Ronni’s direct question knocked her off guard. “There are not many first shifter dates that go by with no kissing.”

“It was not a date.” Sian smiled to herself as she placed her purse in the back room behind the reception office and picked up the coffee pot. “How did your trip to the lawyers go?”

“Good.” Ronni accepted the change of subject with no further comment. “Kevin wants the sale to go through as fast as possible.”

“Do you have a date?” Sian asked.

“Not yet. But Will called this morning, he’s keen to start as soon as possible.” She gave a small smile. “I think he is planning on having it finished by Christmas.”

“Wow, so soon?” Christmas, as if she needed reminding, was only two weeks away. She really needed to get her butt in gear and decide on gifts for the girls.

“Yes, he doesn’t want to hang around. I can’t wait. Especially since Lucas is talking about us getting married before Christmas.” Ronni glanced down at the engagement ring on her finger. “It all seems like a bit of a dream really.”

“Tell me about it.” Sian handed a cup of fresh, hot coffee to Ronni. “You know we might be neighbors.”

Ronni placed her mug down on the desk and gave Sian all her attention. “You’re going to move in with Matthew?”

“Not exactly.” Sian slid into the chair across the desk from Ronni. “You know the boiler is broken in my house.”

“Yes. Hasn’t Mr. Wendell fixed it yet?”

“No. And he isn’t likely to for a few days, he had a heart attack and is in the hospital.” Sian blew on her coffee and then took a sip.

“And Matthew asked you to move in with him?” Ronni nodded. “Smart move.”

“No, he asked to house swap.”

Ronni sat up straight in her seat. “He offered to let you move into his house while he moves into your house? And he’ll move out?”

“That’s about it,” Sian confirmed.

“And you said yes?” Ronni asked.

“I said I’d think about it.” She shrugged. “I would appreciate your thoughts.”

“My thoughts?” Ronni frowned. “You’re worried what people might think.” Her eyes widened, and she nodded in understanding. “You’re worried about what your husband might think.”

“I’m not worried what he might think, but I am worried about him making trouble. For me and Matthew.” She closed her eyes and then corrected herself. “For me or Matthew. Since there is no me and Matthew.”

“Yet.” Ronni gave a knowing smile. “What? Come on. You and Matthew getting together is inevitable.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Sian insisted.

“Yes, I do. He is perfect for you. And you are perfect for him. You’ve already taught him not to be an asshole when it comes to the animal shelter. I have no doubt that if he hadn’t met you the night of the auction, he would have destroyed this place one way or another.” Ronni drank her coffee and stared out the window. “And that would be unthinkable.”

“That’s my point, though. Two days ago he was determined to ruin the shelter at all costs. Is that really the kind of man I want to be with? The kind of man I want around my daughters?” Sian rubbed her hand over her eyes. After a wonderful dinner with Matthew, she’d spent a sleepless night going over and over the consequences of being in a relationship with Matthew Lewis.

“What’s really bothering you?” Ronni asked. “This isn’t just about the two of you, is it?”

“No. It’s not.” Sian pushed herself to her feet and paced the room. “I haven’t heard from Peter.”

“Peter, the rat of a husband Peter?” Ronni considered this for a moment. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“No. It’s not. He came to town for a reason. That reason wasn’t just to embarrass me at the auction by making a stupidly low bid. But what was his real reason?” Sian asked Ronni.

“I don’t know. But you think Matthew’s interference in the auction has given Peter ammo.” Ronni nodded sagely. “I am so glad I spend my time sorting out the lives of animals rather than trying to figure people and their motives out.”

Sian stared in the direction of Matthew’s house. She couldn’t see it from here, but she knew where it was, and it was as if she could sense his presence there. They had a connection, of that she could not deny. “What if he hurts the children to hurt me?”

Ronni got up and joined her, looking out the window. “Then he deserves to be crushed under the heel of a certain hardball property developer.” Ronni slid her arm around Sian’s shoulders and hugged her. “Listen, Matthew will do whatever it takes to keep you and the girls safe and happy. Peter would have to be a brave man to take him on.”

“Brave is not a word I’d use to describe Peter. However, he has this annoying habit of thinking he is in the right even if he’s in the wrong. Hence the lack of payment even though the courts ruled in my favor.” Sian hated the way Peter made her feel as if she were taking advantage of him. His whiny texts and calls telling her he needed the money so he could move on were self-centered and wrong. Yet he had a way of getting under her skin and making her feel guilty.

That had to stop. Peter was in the wrong.

And Matthew felt so right.

Not where her train of thought needed to go. However, her brain raked up images of Matthew, his dark brown hair, streaked with gray, just begging to have her fingers run through it. Oh, and once her fingers had finished running through his hair, they planned to unbutton his shirt one button at a time, while her lips left a scorching trail down his skin.

“Listen, here is my advice, since you did ask for it.” Ronni turned to face Sian. “Peter is a grown man. Matthew is a grown man. And you are a grown woman. You have to do what you think is right for you. That includes kicking Peter to the curb once and for all. As for Matthew, follow your heart. If that trail leads to marriage and all that stuff, then go for it. But if you want to walk away, then that is your choice.”

“I expected you to lecture me about true mates,” Sian admitted.

“No lectures. All I want is for you to make your choice with a united head and heart.” Ronni drank her coffee and headed back to her desk.

“It would be good to be neighbors,” Sian said as she contemplated Ronni’s wise words.

“It would.” Ronni smiled gently. “I think you’re scared. I’ve seen it in the faces of countless animals.”

Sian brushed her hand across her eyes, trying not to cry. “I am so scared.”

“Admitting it is part of the battle. And it’s natural. Taking a chance on a man. A man who has a reputation. But if you look in your heart and look at his actions since you met him, that is the truth you seek. That is your answer.” Ronni placed her hand on her mouse. “Listen, it’s quiet today. Matthew is that way.” She pointed in the direction of his house. “Why don’t you go and see him?”

“Are you sure?” Sian asked.

“Absolutely.” Ronni shooed her away. “Take your time.”

Sian grabbed her purse and went outside into the biting wind. Pulling her thin coat around her, she had second thoughts about walking to Matthew’s house. But the exercise would do her good and the walk would give her a chance to clear her head. Plus, it saved on gas. Even coming out to the animal shelter each day was taking its toll on her finances. When she got back, she was going to talk to Ronni about starting the pet grooming business earlier than planned.

Sian hurried along the overgrown trail that led from the sanctuary to Matthew’s house. The wind whipped her hair and the brambles grabbed at her legs. However, she managed to reach the old house in one piece. As she drew closer, she came to a stop.

There he was. Chopping wood. No sign of his shirt despite the freezing temperatures.

Sian swallowed hard and briefly considered backing away and just watching from a distance. However, he’d sensed her presence. Would she ever get used to that?

“Hi there.” He raised his hand, wiped his brow and slung the axe he’d been using into a stump of wood.

“Hi.” She gave a feeble wave of her hand and then stumbled forward. “I thought I’d come and say hello.”

“Hello.” He cracked a smile.

“Are you teasing me?” she asked.

“Nope. I’m just happy you’re here.” He grabbed his shirt and put it on.

“Pity,” she murmured.

He arched an eyebrow and she blushed. Had he heard her?

“Coffee?” he asked.

“Sure.” She didn’t really need more coffee, she was wired enough, but she figured you could tell a lot about a person by the coffee he drank.

“Come inside. I’ll give you the tour.” He waited for her to join him and then turned around and led her toward the porch.

“You’ve been working hard.” Sian stood on the porch and looked down at the hole in the porch where the old wood had been taken up.

“Gus is delivering the new lumber this afternoon. I’ll soon have this hole patched up.” He eyed her carefully. “Are you here to take a look at the house to see if it’s suitable for you, Ella and Rachel?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I just... It was Ronni’s idea,” she said feebly.

“Ah, checking me out in case I’m up to some nefarious deeds.” He seemed to be in good spirits and her own mood lightened.

“Ronni suggested we got to know each other a little better.” She placed her hand on the door frame, it seemed solid enough. “And I guess there’s no harm in checking out the house.”

“It is sound, and it is warm.” He pushed the door open and stood back, waiting for her to enter.

Why did she get the feeling she was entering the bear’s den? Because she was. And she wasn’t sure she was going to make it out again, not with her heart intact, at least.

Chapter Ten – Matthew

Matthew watched Sian as she walked into his house. She looked nervous and unsure and he wanted to set her at ease, but he wasn’t good at making people feel comfortable. After all, making people feel uncomfortable in his presence was how he’d intimidated people into agreeing with him.

Sian was right when she said he had a reputation.

“I won’t bite.” He turned around and headed to the kitchen.

“But your bear might,” she quipped as she lingered in the living area.

“Only if he likes you.” Matthew cast a glance over his shoulder. “What do you think?”

“Of the house?” She turned around and looked at the ceilings. “It has potential.”

Matthew chuckled. “Is that code for it’s a wreck?”

“No, it’s not a wreck.” She ran her hand along the windowsill that needed sanding and painting. “It just needs some TLC.”

“From what I gather, Jeremiah Jones lived here alone for a good few years. As he got older, he let things go. Understandable. But a pity nonetheless.” He passed her a cup of coffee and strolled to the hearth. “The fire heats the room up. Plus there’s a boiler that heats the hot water and the radiators. It’s a little antiquated, but it works.”

“Are you sure about us swapping houses?” Sian asked suddenly.

“I thought I was going to have to talk you round.” He prodded the fire with a poker and added some wood as it spat and crackled into life. The room instantly felt warmer, or maybe it was his imagination.

“I’m not stupid. I know when I’m being offered a good deal.” She walked the perimeter of the room.

“But you are scared of the consequences.” He looked at her levelly, trying to work out how he could make her understand there were no strings attached.

She gave a lopsided smile. “I’m scared of everything right now.”

He got up and calmly went to the sofa and sat down. “You don’t have to be scared of me. I want nothing but the best for you.”

She walked around the sofa and sat in the single recliner chair. “That’s what scares me. You are willing to give up who you are and change just because something tells you I’m the woman for you. Do you see how much pressure that puts on me, on our relationship? It’s crazy.”

“Then let’s do crazy.” To Matthew it was simple. As simple as breathing. She was as much a necessity as the air in his lungs and the blood in his veins.

“I think I already am.” Sian leaned forward, her hands clasped around her coffee cup. “Yes.”

“You’ll move in here?” Matthew had prepared this whole speech in anticipation of her saying no. He was not complaining it had all been for nothing.

“Yes. If you are one hundred percent sure. Our house is freezing, and I’m worried about the girls.” She drank her coffee and looked sideways at the fire. “I can’t afford for anything to happen to them.”

“Because Peter is in town?” Matthew steered Sian toward the topic that had given him the most concern.

“I have no idea why he’s here. Or if he’s still here.” She ran a hand through her hair and stood up, as if she were unable to settle with this hanging over her. “Part of me thinks I imagined him there. Like it was someone else who made that bid. But it wasn’t, it was him.”

“Do you want me to go look for him? I could track him down. Believe me, everyone leaves tracks.” He leaned back on the sofa, his arm draped across the back and he wished she’d come and sit down next to him, so he could wrap his arms around her and make her see it would be all right.

“No. I don’t want you involved.”

“But I am involved.”

“Do you want me to change my mind about the house swap?” she asked assertively.

“No.” He knew when to quit pushing. “So when do you want to move in?”

“Tomorrow?” she asked hopefully. “I think we can stick it out one more night in our house.”

“Tomorrow would be good, there’s a weather system coming in the day after. It might bring a lot of snow with it.” The idea of being snowed in with Sian appealed to him. But he’d promised there were no strings attached to this house swap and so he would forge a way back to town through the snow on four paws if he had to. Unless she insisted he stayed.

“I hope not. Ronni won’t get her house before Christmas if Will has to call off his workers.” Sian wandered toward the window and cast a disapproving look at the heavy clouds gathered over the mountain peaks. “So if fate has a hand in all this, it should blow the snow clouds elsewhere.”

“I’m sure fate is listening,” he assured her with a smile. “If there was something I could do for them, I would. I’m a big advocate of true love and weddings.”

She laughed at his serious expression. “A new convert?”

“Absolutely.” Matthew nodded sagely, captivated by the sound of her laugh.

“I like this new you.” Sian glanced at her watch. “I should be getting back.”

“And you’re not going to change your mind about the house swap?”

“Nope. Although if the temperature drops much more we’ll be frozen in our beds.” She made a face and kept her body rigid while her teeth chattered.

“I’ll come thaw you out.” It was meant to be a joke, but it came out all serious.

“You already have.” Sian ducked her head, hiding her eyes from him before she continued, “I’m certain we can get everything packed and ready to move by tomorrow evening. As soon as the girls get home from school, we can come over.” Sian finished her coffee and edged toward the door. “I should get back.”

“Thanks for stopping by.” He sure knew how to make her feel special and not like a neighbor passing by.

Missing you already, his bear said in a singsong voice as Matthew walked after her toward the door. He wanted to slap his hand on the door and stop her from opening it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Sian took a step toward him and he encircled her waist with his arm.

“It’s going to be a long, long wait.” He sighed and held her close, the heat from her body causing a fever across his skin.

“I’m certain you’ll survive.” She stood on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Matthew slid his tongue along her lower lip and she opened her mouth, allowing him access and their tongues entwined, just as their lives were now entwined.

Sian didn’t know it yet, but once she’d moved into his house, he did not intend for her to ever leave. Neither did he intend to live in her house for too long. But he had to allow her to make the decision to end their separation. It had to be Sian’s choice and once she saw how perfect they were for each other and that he intended to be a good father to her daughters, surely she would make the right decision.

With the taste of her still on his lips, he watched her go, her thin coat flapping in the breeze. She must be cold, and he wondered why she didn’t wear a thicker coat. He added it to the list he had made in his head of things he needed to buy from town. Then he finished up chopping wood to keep Sian and her daughters warm for days and put his axe away before he got in his car and headed to town.

His first call was to check whether Gus had managed to get everything Matthew had ordered and tell him the extra stuff he needed. Then he headed across the street to the outdoor clothing store. After guessing Sian’s size, he picked out a warm coat along with a pair of gloves and a scarf. After paying for them, he went to the local bakery, picked up a sandwich and sweet pastry, and headed back to the house.

After eating his sandwich, he picked up his tools and began fixing the loose shingle, so it would no longer leak in the roof. He didn’t want to replace the timbers and have the same thing happen again. If this was going to be their family home, he wanted it to be warm, comfortable and dry. Just like a den in winter.

Matthew glanced up toward the mountain. The snow seemed to be passing right by. For now at least. But the clear skies would bring freezing temperatures. Maybe he should shoot over to the animal shelter now and give Sian the coat he’d just bought.

Dropping his tools, he ran to his car, grabbed the warm weather gear and jogged down the trail toward the center. He could scent Sian on the air, the smell of her hung on blades of grass and brambles that she’d brushed against. He would know her scent anywhere.

He reached the perimeter of the buildings, which were also in need of a coat of paint and some superficial repairs. Maybe he could come over and help when he had finished the house. His bear chuckled in his head. So now you want to be a volunteer. Oh, how true love can change a person.

Don’t knock it, Matthew replied. I haven’t felt this good in years.

“Matthew. Come to spy on us?” Lucas’s voice carried an edge of warning.

“If I had, I would have kept myself hidden, not walked straight in here.” Matthew smiled. “Look, I know we got off to a bad start, but I’m trying.”

“Trying to what? That’s what bothers me,” Lucas replied, but then he softened his voice and his body language. “I just don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“Neither do I.” He gestured to the coat in his hands. “I bought this for Sian. That coat she wears is far too thin for a non-shifter.”

Lucas considered this. “You’re right. She must be freezing, particularly since they have no heating.”

“She and the girls are going to move into my house.” Matthew closed the space between them, although a distance still remained. “I will be moving into her house.”

“Ah. That’s good of you. Ronni was calling around last night trying to find some floor heaters we could borrow for them. But with this cold weather, there are none to spare.” Lucas turned toward the reception office. “You know Sian is a proud woman. I’m not sure she’ll accept the coat.”

Matthew already had the same thought. “Do you have any suggestions?”

“You could tell her not to be so stubborn and accept the gift.” Lucas shrugged. “Hey, it might work.”

“Or she might never speak to me again.” Matthew’s hands tightened around the coat. All he wanted to do was make sure she was warm.

“Hello, boys.” Sian came out of one of the barns and pulled the door closed behind her. “What are you two conspiring about?”

“I bought you a warm coat.” Direct and honest, wasn’t that what she wanted?

Her eyes dropped to the warm waterproof coat in his hands. “You did.”

“You looked cold. And the weather is only going to get worse.” Matthew stepped closer to her and held it up for her to put on.

Sian’s gaze met with Lucas’s and something passed between them. With a sigh, Sian took her old coat off and slipped her arms into the new coat. “Thank you.” She closed her eyes, a look of ecstasy passing over her face. “This is so warm.”

“It looks good on you,” Ronni said as she came out to meet them.

“Thanks.” Sian looked down at it and then she glanced up at Matthew, her hands fluttering to the zipper as if she were about to take the coat off. But then she let her hands drop to her side.

“Okay, Will is on his way. We need to start on the building before the weather turns.” Ronni looked nervously toward the mountains. “I usually love the snow, but I so want the house built by Christmas.”

“It’ll be okay.” Lucas slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “We’ll get it done. And if we don’t get it done by Christmas, that’ll be okay, too.”

“I know. The most important thing is the animal shelter.” Despite her words, disappointment crossed her face. And Lucas pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head.

“What’s wrong?” Sian asked, picking up on her friend’s mood.

“We were hoping to get married before Christmas,” Lucas explained. “And I don’t see that changing.”

“I just had this idea that we’d get married and move into our own house.” Ronni turned to Lucas. “That’s all I really want for Christmas.”

Sian’s eyes filled with tears. “Then let’s make it happen.”

To anyone else, Ronni’s attitude might sound demanding. But to a shifter, making a home with their mate was the most important thing in the world. It was the reason Matthew had happily given his house to Sian and her daughters. Of course, he would prefer it if he were living in the house with them, too, but one step at a time.

“Where’s the house being built?” Matthew asked with genuine interest, and not because he was concerned if the position might be too close to his own house. My, he must be changing.

“Over toward the back of the shelter. There’s an old stone barn we never got around to renovating because it was too expensive. Will came over and took a look before the auction and he had all the relevant permits in place.” Ronni’s face brightened. “It’s a beautiful spot.”

“Can we see it?” Matthew asked, then paused. “You all already have. Can I see it?”

“Sure.” Ronni led the way hand in hand with Lucas, while Matthew and Sian followed.

“Do you think the weather will hold?” Sian asked Matthew.

“I have no idea, I don’t know the area or the mountains.” They stopped in front of the old building, which was no more than four crumbling walls. “But I do know buildings.”

“What does that mean?” Lucas asked.

“How many men does Will have working for him?” Matthew asked, examining the walls. They would need stripping back to the bare stone and then building on top. The cold temperatures would make it difficult.

“I don’t know. A lot,” Ronni replied.

“He said he was pulling in as much manpower as he could,” Lucas added. “We’re very grateful to him.”

“It’s doable. The temperature and the snow will delay the work. But there are ways to work around it. They can erect a large cover over the walls to keep them dry.” Matthew would love to hang around and get stuck into the work.

“Have you rebuilt these kinds of buildings before?” Sian asked as she stepped inside the broken doorway.

“A few times. They are my favorite kind of properties. I love taking something that’s broken and making it new. Even though the work is harder and the payout not as big.” He watched Sian as she looked at the crumbled walls.

“I can see the appeal.” She shrugged. “That might be why we’re drawn to each other. I used to like taking old pieces of furniture and making them new again. I haven’t done anything like that since I married Peter.”

“Would you find some pieces of furniture and renovate them for the house?” Ronni asked. “We don’t have anything to put in here and I don’t really want to buy new furniture. It would look out of place.”

“Sure, I’d love to.” Sian went to stand next to Ronni. “We’ll make this a home for you and Lucas and it will be finished before Christmas.”

“It doesn’t matter if it isn’t,” Ronni replied. “Honestly, I sounded like a demanding child.”

“No, you sounded like a woman in love who wants to spend her first Christmas in her own home with her mate.” Her eyes flicked up and met Matthew’s with a startling purity. “I think I’m beginning to understand how the mind of a shifter works.”

Matthew sighed in relief. Because the idea of having his mate under his own roof at Christmas was now a burning desire he could not easily quench. But he also understood that if he pushed too hard, too fast, he might ruin everything.

Patience was what he needed. A thing he was not used to. But for Sian, he would draw on his inner resources and conquer his need to have Sian near, from now until the end of time.

Chapter Eleven – Sian

Ronni’s desperation to have a house for her and Lucas to move into left Sian with a unique insight into how a shifter’s mind worked. They couldn’t wait to be together, and not in the first blush of love kind of way, but in a deep, passionate, can’t live without the other kind of a way.

And that was how Matthew felt, too. She could see it in the way he looked at her, and the way he said her name.

As she drove home, a pang of sadness hit Sian. She would never feel that way. Never experience the intense need for another person.

If only everyone was born with the same need to find their perfect mate along with the capability to know who they were when they found them. Wouldn’t life be so much simpler? There would be no mistakes. No breakdown in marriage. No divorce.

And no accidents. No Ella and Rachel. For they would have never existed if she was a shifter with the same knowledge of her true mate.

The thought of her daughters gave her comfort. She accepted her life and how it had turned out. Whether that meant she was ready to move on and allow herself to give Matthew a chance, she wasn’t sure. But she was sure of one thing. She loved her new coat. It was warm and a perfect fit.

Was she so shallow that she could be won over by a coat?

As she got out of the car she was nearly knocked sideways by an icy blast of wind. Yep, the coat had won her over, at least her bones weren’t freezing now. Wrapping it tighter around her body, Sian headed into the house, which was not much warmer than outdoors. Perhaps if she worked hard at packing what they needed to take to Matthew’s house she might warm up a little.

First, she needed coffee. And to light the fire. Rubbing her hands together to warm them up, she put on a fresh pot of coffee and made a mental list of what she needed to pack as she struck a match to light the kindling in the grate. As soon as it sparked into life, she held out her hands to absorb as much of the warmth as possible.

Half an hour, and two cups of coffee later, she dragged herself away from the fire and went upstairs to pack, telling herself the sooner she got it done, the sooner she could get back to the living room.

“What’s for dinner?” Ella asked as soon as she walked through the door after school. “I need to eat or I’ll freeze.”

Sian placed a pile of bedding down on the sofa and indicated the suitcase she’d packed full of towels and toiletries. “I was going to stick a pizza in the oven since we need to pack.”

“So, we are moving into Matthew’s house.” She slumped down on the sofa and kicked off her shoes. “I thought you’d say no.”

“So did I. But I went over there today...”

“You went over to Matthew’s house?” Ella sat up straighter. “What’s it like?”

“It needs some work, but it’s warm and cozy.” Sian shivered. “The opposite of this house.”

“Why is Matthew being so nice to us?” Ella asked as she watched her mom. “Are those the best towels?”

Sian placed her hands on top of the pile of towels she’d placed in the suitcase. “I didn’t want to leave them in the cold house.” Her breath left a cloud of vapor on the air. “Can you add another log on the fire? We’ve arranged to go tomorrow, but now I’m wishing I’d said tonight.”

Ella swung down onto the floor and picked up a dry log. With great care, she placed it on the fire and watched as the flames licked at the dry wood and heat flared across the room, but it wasn’t enough to stave off the chill in the rest of the house. This only served to confirm Sian’s decision to take Matthew’s offer.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Ella swiveled around but stayed kneeling in front of the fire.

“He’s a kind man,” Sian began. She could not exactly add, and he knows I’m his soul mate and will do anything for me. But just the thought of his depth of feeling for her warmed her on the inside. Shame it did nothing for her outside.

“There are lots of kind people in the world, but they wouldn’t all hand over their house to a stranger and her daughters.” Ella was searching for answers and it was Sian’s duty to reassure her they weren’t making a mistake.

Sian left the packing and went to sit next to her daughter, glad of the chance to warm herself by the fire. “He’s a nice guy.”

“We don’t know that.” Ella rested her head on her mom’s shoulder. “Can we trust him?”

Sian hesitated, not because she wasn’t absolutely sure that they could trust Matthew, but because she had to word her response in such a way that Ella was convinced. However, Sian could not tell her daughter how she knew with absolute certainty that out of all the people in the world, Matthew, despite his past, was the one person they could rely on.

“Mom?” Ella pushed for an answer.

“Sometimes in life, you meet people who you click with. Do you know what I mean?” Sian asked gently.

“Yes. I do.” Ella gazed into the fire. “Like Taylor and I clicked when we first met.”

Sian nodded, ignoring the twinge of guilt she experienced every time she thought of how this move to Bear Creek had caused Ella to leave her best friend behind. “Like Taylor.”

“But this is a little different than me and my friends, Matthew looks at you...” Ella didn’t finish her sentence.

“Matthew likes me. I believe he wants us to be more than just friends. But he also knows how much you and Rachel mean to me and he understands that you two come first.” Sian took a breath. “But I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t interested in a relationship with him. Even though when we moved here, I said I was staying away from men for life.”

“I know how much Dad hurt you. Not physically. But...well, you know.” Ella sat up and took hold of Sian’s hands. “If this was the other way around, you would tell us to believe in love and go out there and grab hold of it with both hands.”

Sian laughed. “I would. Because love comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be disguised in many ways. But it is the most powerful thing in the universe.” She hugged Ella close. “I know because I feel it every time I look at you or Rachel.”

“So, back at you.” Ella shook her head. “You can’t have one rule for us and one rule for you. If Matthew offers you the chance of loving again, then you should take it. We want you to be happy, Mom.”

“I want us all to be happy,” Sian confessed. “My greatest fear is that me finding love will hurt you or Rachel.”

“It won’t.” Ella kissed Sian on the cheek. “And Matthew has to be a good man, he brought us chocolate cake.”

“He did. And there is some left, do you want a slice before you help me pack?” Sian got up and went to the kitchen, with Ella following behind her.

“It’s freezing in here,” Ella said, pulling her sweater sleeves down over her hands.

“I’ll put the oven on, we can eat pizza on our laps.” Sian cut Ella a generous piece of chocolate cake. “After you’ve eaten this, can you go upstairs and pack your clothes? We can pop past and get anything we’ve forgotten when I bring you into town for school. But just in case the weather gets so bad we can’t get back here, be prepared.”

“Sure,” Ella replied as she ate her cake. “I’ll grab everything I need.” She gave a small laugh. “It feels as if we’ve only just unpacked and here we are packing everything up again.”

“Not exactly everything.” Sian wasn’t ready to admit they were unlikely to move back here. She was certain Matthew was going to work his hardest to ensure his mate and her family made his house their permanent home.

“I don’t mind. I always wanted to live in the country.” She finished her cake and put the plate in the sink. “What about the kittens?”

Sian closed her eyes, she’d forgotten about them. Which was not good considering she was a volunteer at the shelter. Although, in her defense, things had been a little crazy the last couple of days. “I don’t know. I told Ronni yesterday she’d have to hold on to them for a couple more days while the heating got fixed. This house is too cold for a couple of baby kittens.”

“But now that we’re moving into Matthew’s house, the heating is not a problem. But he might not like cats.” Ella wagged her finger at Sian. “Although, he must like animals since he donated so much money to the fund for the shelter.”

Sian liked Ella’s reasoning, even though it was flawed. Sian suspected Matthew had not suddenly become an animal lover. The only reason he’d donated the money was because Sian was his mate. That could still work in their favor, though. Matthew wanted to make Sian happy and Sian would only be happy if her daughters were happy. And her daughters would only be happy if they adopted the kittens.

“I’ll talk to him about it.” Sian looked up as the front door opened and Rachel came in. “Hi there.”

“Hi.” Rachel walked into the kitchen and spied the cake. “Is there any left for me?”

“There sure is.” Sian cut her eldest daughter a slice. “Right, I have to get the rest of the stuff packed.”

“We’re actually moving into Matthew’s house?” Rachel asked.

“Yes.” Ella headed for the kitchen door. “Mom and I have just had this conversation. And now I’m going to Siberia to pack.”

“She sounds happy about the move.” Rachel ate her cake and watched Sian as she opened the freezer and retrieved a pizza. “You don’t even need the freezer on. The food wouldn’t defrost if the power went out.”

Sian rubbed her hands together to warm them up before she removed the packaging on the pizza and put it in the oven. “You’re still good with us going to Matthew’s house?”

“I am.” She scraped her plate clean. “Any news on Mr. Wendell?”

“Not really. I spoke to his daughter this afternoon. She said they are still doing tests.” Sian checked the temperature on the oven, which was as temperamental as everything else in the house. “But he’s stable and he’s in the right place. I just hope he pulls through. There must be nothing worse than losing a loved one at Christmas.”

“And what about Dad?” Rachel kept her voice low.

“Nothing.” Sian leaned back against the counter and folded her arms.

“Perhaps he had a change of mind and decided whatever he came here for... I don’t know…that he’d made a mistake.” Rachel’s hopeful tone tore into Sian’s heart like jagged claws into flesh.

“Perhaps. Although he still should have come by and said hello to you and Ella.” The bitterness in her voice when she spoke about Peter never seemed to fade. How could it when he let them down so much? Her daughters deserved better. Could Matthew give them what they deserved, a father figure who they could look up to and respect and depend on? And maybe even love one day?

“Let’s not let him spoil another Christmas.” Rachel’s comment was from the heart. They were better off without him. But how could they get over him when he was hanging around in the shadows?

“He won’t,” Sian assured her. “Okay, I have to go upstairs and pack my clothes. Can you do yours? Plus, anything else you might need.”

“Sure.” Rachel nodded and went up to her room, leaving Sian alone.

“It’s time to take back control.” Sian went to her purse and pulled out her phone. Scrolling through the numbers, she tapped the screen and brought up Peter’s cell phone number. “Time to poke the hornet’s nest.”

Hi Peter, I saw you were in town and would like to know if you are here to sign the final papers.

Sian pressed send and then waited. Perhaps he had been passing through and was no longer in Bear Creek. But if he was, would this flush him out? Right now, not knowing was worse than a confrontation with the man who had tried to squash her love and control her emotions.

Slipping her phone into her jacket pocket, she went upstairs to continue packing.

Chapter Twelve – Matthew

“I know we said tomorrow, but the temperature is dropping, and I couldn’t bear to think of you here in this cold house.” That’s what he told Sian as he stood on her doorstep looking into her surprised face.

It was the truth, of course, added to this was the need to see her again. Each moment that they were apart stretched out like an eternity.

“You want us to move tonight?” Sian asked, her gaze slipping past his shoulder toward the road. Was she expecting someone else? That would explain her wary expression when she opened the door to him.

“What do you say? Gus loaned me a truck, so I could collect the lumber I need for the porch. So I figured it was a good time to offer to move your stuff. We can get everything in the back and would only need one trip.” He smiled at her, trying to set her at ease.

“That’s a good idea,” Sian began. “But we’re not ready yet.”

“I can wait.” She was certainly nervous about something. Damn, was her husband in the house? Was she worried they might fight over her? “Or I can come back.”

The thought of walking away and leaving her alone with the father of her children was incredibly difficult, but he would do it if it was what she needed. Anything to get that man out of her life once and for all.

“No.” She reached out and grabbed hold of his sleeve. “It’s a great idea.” She stepped back, and he entered her house. “We are just about to eat.”

“I can smell pizza.” He lifted his nose and inhaled deeply. Not because he liked the smell of pizza, but because he wanted to know if Peter had been here.

No sign of him, his bear confirmed.

Matthew let out his pent-up breath. He wasn’t sure how he would have reacted if Peter had been here. But it wouldn’t have been pretty.

“Coffee?” Sian asked.

“I’ll make it while you pack,” he offered. “I can also watch the pizza, too.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Sian asked, already backing out of the kitchen door.

“No, you go for it. The sooner you are packed, the sooner we can get going.” He turned his back to her and took down two coffee mugs which he filled with coffee from the pot. It was reasonably fresh, and he didn’t make a fresh pot since they wouldn’t be here long.

A surge of excitement built inside him. He was taking his mate and her family home. And if he had his way they would never leave again.

That does not sound sinister at all, his bear told him sarcastically.

You know what I mean, Matthew answered.

Do I? Since we’ve never had a home before.

Matthew opened the oven and checked the pizza. It needed another couple of minutes before it was cooked. As he straightened up, he considered how quickly his new house had become a home. Was it simply because his mate was about to move in? He was certain that was it.

“Hi, Matthew.” Rachel passed by the doorway with a large backpack in her hand and a roll of bedding in the other.

“Hi. Do you need a hand with that?” he asked, crossing the kitchen and entering the hallway.

“I think I can manage.” She dumped the backpack and bedding by the front door. When she turned around, she fired her first question at him. “Why are you letting us have your house?” She opened her hand and indicated the house. “This place is freezing. Why would you give up your nice warm house?”

“You think I have an ulterior motive?” he asked.

“Oh, I know you do.” She stepped closer to him with all the confidence of a young woman in her prime. “I’m just not sure what it is.”

Matthew held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, I’ll tell you.”

Rachel put her hands on her hips. She meant business. A smile played across Matthew’s lips. She was very protective of her mom and he liked that. Sian and her daughters watched out for each other.

“I’m waiting.” Rachel arched an eyebrow.

“Waiting for what?” Sian asked as she came down the stairs carrying a heavy suitcase.

Matthew leaped to help her, and their fingers brushed together, sending shockwaves through his body. Sian pulled back and almost dropped the suitcase, but luckily his hand had already closed around the handle. “I’ll take that.”

He swung around and met Rachel’s inquisitive look. “You two look like a couple of teenagers who have been caught kissing.”

“We do not,” Sian insisted, brushing her hair back from her face. But the pink tinge in her cheeks said otherwise.

“This would all seem more normal if you were seeing each other,” Rachel pointed out. “It’s much easier to believe Matthew would offer to swap houses if he were in lo...dating you.”

“We’re not dating,” Sian said quickly and then closed her eyes as she recomposed her thoughts. “Not yet anyway.”

Matthew watched the exchange between mother and daughter. He was certain Rachel would not object if they were seeing each other. But Sian was reluctant to make their relationship out to be more than it was. “I haven’t had a chance to ask your mother out on a date yet.”

“But you are going to date?” Rachel looked from her mom to Matthew and then back again. “If it makes it easier, Ella and I approve.”

Sian’s eyes widened. “You’ve talked about this?”

“Of course we have. It’s a big thing. Matthew will be the first man you’ve dated after Dad.”

Sian turned a brighter shade of pink. “Thank you for sharing all my secrets.”

“Oh, Mom. Come on, we love you and want you to be happy.” Rachel hugged Sian and then turned to Matthew. “Of course, it goes without saying that if you break her heart, we will come for you.”

Matthew chuckled. “I have no intention of ever hurting your mom. At all. Her heart is safe with me.”

“Which is more than can be said of the pizza,” Sian whirled around and ran for the kitchen as the smell of burned food reached them.

“Sorry.” He joined her in front of the oven as she opened it and used an oven mitt to pull out the pizza. “Looks good.”

“It does look good,” Sian agreed.

“I am starving.” Rachel went to the cupboard and grabbed some plates while Sian set the pizza down on the table.

“Can you call Ella, please?” Sian asked her daughter.

“Or we could eat it all ourselves.” Rachel went to the bottom of the stairs and yelled, “Ella. Pizza!”

“Coming,” came the reply.

Sian cut the pizza into slices and they all sat around the table. But before they had a chance to eat, Sian’s phone beeped. She fumbled to retrieve it from her pocket and looked up to see if anyone had noticed her behavior as her cheeks flushed with guilt.

“Everything okay?” Matthew instantly asked, picking up on his mate’s agitation.

“Yes.” She nodded as she keyed in a code on her phone and unlocked the screen. Her eyes scanned the message she’d just received, and she tapped the screen in reply. “I have to pop out.”

“Now?” Ella asked through a mouthful of pizza.

“Yes, I have to go and... It’s about one of the lots for the auction.” She slid out of her seat and went to the hallway where she retrieved her coat. The same coat Matthew had given her this afternoon.

“Nice coat. Is that new?” Rachel asked as she got up from her seat and went to her mom.

“It is.” Sian locked eyes with Matthew. Was she going to tell them where the coat came from or would it be their secret? Matthew didn’t mind, either way, he realized Sian might not want to admit she’d accepted a gift from Matthew when they hadn’t even been on that first date. “It was a gift from Matthew.”

“Was it?” Ella raised her eyebrows.

“Your mom was freezing while she was cleaning out the animals at the shelter,” he explained. “I thought with the weather forecasted to get worse, she needed a warm coat.”

“Of course, most men buy their date flowers,” Rachel mocked but secretly she seemed pleased he’d bought her mom a thoughtful gift.

“Flowers don’t keep me warm.” Sian jumped as her phone beeped again.

“Are you sure everything is okay?” Matthew asked, trying to keep his suspicions out of his voice.

“Yes, I just need to get going.” She kissed her daughters goodbye.

“Are you okay?” Rachel asked.

“Yes.” Sian headed for the door. “Be good, enjoy your pizza, I’ll be back soon. I expect you to be packed and ready to go.”

“We’ll try,” Ella replied and picked up a piece of pizza. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was going out to meet a secret lover.”

Rachel’s eyes flicked up to Matthew’s and she gave him a false smile. “But we do know better.” She indicated the pizza. “Have a slice, Matthew.”

“Thanks.” He took a slice of the pizza and took a bite while he mused over Sian’s behavior. He was certain that she was going out to meet Peter. He was also was certain that if he followed her and interfered, it might do irreparable damage to their relationship.

“Do you need us to give you a tour of the house?” Rachel asked as she ate.

“A tour of the house?” His brow creased. “Oh, because I’m moving in here.” He shook his head. “I think I’ll be fine.”

“Mom changed the sheets on her bed,” Ella continued. “And the kitchen is self-explanatory.”

“It is.” Pity Sian had changed the sheets, he would have enjoyed lying in her bed surrounded by her scent.

“So since you don’t have a pet, what are you going to do with your pet pampering day?” Ella asked, the switch in conversation catching him off guard. “Or do you plan to adopt a pet like Lucas did? Jessie is the best, she looked after all the kittens when they didn’t have a mom.”

“Oh, I think there is a kitten or two left that need adopting,” Rachel suggested. “Although I’m not sure cats like being pampered.”

“I was thinking of turning the whole thing on its head and pampering your mom.” Matthew might have just told them aliens were real. That was the level of shock on their faces.

Or that shifters are real, his bear added not too helpfully. That was one conversation that needed handling carefully.

“Any ideas?” Matthew continued.

“Yes.” Ella clapped her hands together. “She would love a meal at a restaurant. It doesn’t have to be really fancy, just somewhere where the food is good, and she doesn’t have to cook.”

“Somewhere warm,” Rachel added. “Oh, but first she’d like to go for a walk on the mountain. We’ve been meaning to since we moved here but we haven’t had time, or the weather has been too cold.”

“It’s too cold now,” Ella said. “So that might have to wait until it gets warmer.”

“What about a spa day?” Rachel suggested. “Or the theater. Or the movies.”

“Or a day of doing nothing.” Ella stretched her arms over her head and sighed. “That might be her favorite thing. She hasn’t stopped since we moved. Between taking care of us and working at the shelter, and her classes on dog grooming, she doesn’t have much time for herself.”

“I can do any of those things,” Matthew confirmed. “Or all of them. But we need to prioritize what she’d like to do most. I thought of surprising her. Soon.”

“We might need to think about it,” Ella said. “Maybe sound Mom out.”

“Yes, she hates wasting time. So even though a day of doing nothing would be bliss, she might feel guilty.” Rachel looked toward the door. “Mom says she wasted enough time being married to Dad. She doesn’t want to waste a minute more. That’s why she wants to build her own business, prove to herself she can do it.”

“Dad used to run her down and tell her she had let herself and her dreams go.” Ella placed her half-eaten piece of pizza down on the plate.

“And the grooming parlor means a lot to her?” Matthew asked.

“Yes.” Rachel nodded.

“Then the perfect day might be helping her to get her business up and running.”

Matthew’s suggestion was met with smiles of approval. “I think that would be her perfect day.”

“As long as there’s food afterward.” Ella picked up her pizza and took another bite. “I like you, Matthew.”

Matthew cracked a smile. “I like you, too, Ella.” He glanced at Rachel who looked uncomfortable at the turn of conversation. “It’s great that we all have your mom’s best interests at heart.”

“Why?” Rachel asked suddenly. “Why do you care about my mom so much?”

“Rachel,” Ella warned.

“It’s a legitimate question,” Rachel asserted. “Before the auction, you’d never met Mom or any of us. In fact, you were considered the boogeyman, the person who wanted to destroy the shelter. Then you flipped.” She clicked her fingers to emphasize her point.

“Yes, I did.” He couldn’t deny the truth. His feelings toward Sian had hit him hard and he could not deny them.

“So what’s to say you wouldn’t flip again?” Rachel cocked her head on one side as she surveyed Matthew. “Worse, how do we know you weren’t sent here by our dad?”

“Rachel, that’s not fair,” Ella said, reaching out for her sister’s hand. Rachel’s face had flushed red and Matthew wished he could say something, perhaps tell her the truth about shifters so she would know his intentions were true. But he didn’t want to tell them when Sian wasn’t here to pick up the pieces if they took it badly.

“It is fair.” Matthew looked down at his hands as he tried to compose his thoughts. “I wouldn’t hurt your mom. I can’t hurt your mom. It’s not in me to do anything that would make her unhappy. She...changed me. And I will prove to you all that I’m a better person because of her.”

“Second chances,” Ella told Rachel. “We all deserve them.”

“Except Dad,” Rachel murmured.

“Even your father deserves a chance to change,” Matthew said gently. And at that moment, he knew what he had to do. He knew of the one true way he could make them all see he was a good guy with the best of intentions.

Chapter Thirteen – Sian

Wrapping her freezing cold fingers around her phone, she reread the message Peter had sent.

We need to talk. Meet me outside the grocery store in ten minutes.

Her hand shook as she replied. More from the anger that built up inside of her than from the cold. If he wanted to talk, that probably meant he wanted to renegotiate again. The thought of taking him back to court seemed to zap her energy. Would this ever be over?

Sian punched in her reply. She would meet him, but she was not budging an inch on the agreement they’d made. Not when doing so would mean her giving up her own dreams of opening the pet grooming salon. She needed the money from the sale of the house to finance the extra equipment she needed to buy.

Sian opened the front gate that was half hanging on its hinges and turned left to head toward the grocery store. It was a five-minute walk, but with the sidewalk coated in ice, the going was tough. But at least she had time to focus her thoughts. If Peter thought he could walk all over their feelings again, he had another thing coming. Sian had tried being nice, she’d tried being tolerant, she’d tried taking him to court.

Now it was time to tell him what she thought of him. She wouldn’t spare his feelings. Because right now she doubted he had any.

When she neared the grocery store and saw Peter waiting for her, she didn’t falter. It was time he heard a few home truths. “Peter.”

“Sian. Hello.” He inclined his head, his eyes sweeping from her head to her toes. “Nice coat.”

“Thanks.” Her breath came out in puffs of vapor as she tried to figure out his angle. Peter always had an angle. Life was like a game to him, one he intended to win. But not this time. Not today. “What are you doing here, Peter?”

“Can’t I come to Bear Creek to see how my family is?” His smooth voice irritated her.

“But you didn’t come to see how we are, did you?” Sian pointed out. “You came to the museum to embarrass me and then what? What have you been doing for the past couple of days? Because you didn’t come to see your daughters, did you?”

“I came to the museum and watched as a man I didn’t know bid an extortionate amount of money for my wife.” Peter’s raised voice drew glances from passers-by.

“This is not the place to have this conversation,” Sian said tartly.

Peter straightened up. “I agree.”

She looked around, the streets were dark with only the street lights keeping the shadows at bay. But she trusted Peter no matter how he had behaved. He might be an expert at hurting her mentally, but he had never hurt her physically. And she didn’t believe that was about to change.

She ignored the voice in her head that told her that’s what most other women probably thought before they wound up dead in a ditch.

“Let’s walk through the park.” She led the way, and after a moment of hesitation, Peter followed.

The park was situated a couple of streets away and Sian kept on walking, not looking back to see if Peter was still there. Instead, she relied on her other senses, just like a shifter. His footsteps, somehow familiar, even though she’d never paid attention to them before, clipped on the frozen sidewalk in a regular rhythm, only interrupted when he slipped on ice. His breath came in hot puffs that filled the quiet night as they turned onto the footpath that led to the park gates. All things she’d heard a million times before but never noticed.

Coming to Bear Creek had opened her up to so much else. So much that she hadn’t exactly ignored, but had never been aware of. Finding Matthew had led her to opening her heart and her soul to the chance of love. But seeing Peter, she now understood she could never truly give herself to another man while this chapter of her life was unfinished.

Sian reached the park gates and turned to face Peter. They didn’t have to go inside, there was no one around at this time of night. “Why did you come to Bear Creek, Peter?”

“To see you and the girls. I heard from a friend that you were organizing that stupid auction for some animal charity.” He shook his head as if in disbelief. “He was so impressed.”

“And you wanted to ruin it for me?” Sian might have been upset at this knowledge before, but now it didn’t matter. It was expected behavior.

“I don’t think I came here to ruin the auction. I just wanted to see how you were doing.” Peter looked down at his feet. “I thought when you left that you would fail and come running back to me.”

“That’s why you never paid me the money from the sale of the house. You figured if you left it long enough I’d come back.” Her hand balled into a tight fist. She would love to smack him in the mouth just so he could have some idea of how she felt. But violence never helped in any situation, so she flexed her hand and let the tension go.

“Why should I give you the money? You left.” Peter was repeating the same argument he’d used countless times.

“You heard the judge, Peter. I’m entitled to half the proceeds from the house.” She shook her head in disbelief. “When will that ever sink in?”

“When will you realize we were meant to be together? You and me.” He pointed at her and then at himself. “We got married, remember? We made a promise.”

“And you broke it… I’m not doing this. If you don’t give me the money I’m entitled to, I’ll see you in court. And it won’t end well. You know that.” She went to walk past him, but he blocked her path. Cold fear gripped her heart. Had she misjudged Peter?

“So, who is this guy you are seeing? Matthew Lewis, right? A billionaire! I’m sure the judge will see things differently when I tell him you are cheating on me.”

Sian rolled her eyes. “I am not cheating on you. We are not together. We haven’t been together for four months. And our marriage was over in all but name long before that. You haven’t been part of our family for years. If ever. You know it, I know it and sadly, the girls know it.” A sob threatened to rob her of breath.

“You know I never wanted children,” he accused. “And I was right. They ruined our life together.”

Sian sighed. “And that is why we are no longer together. We’re different people. We want different things from life.” Her face softened. “I’m truly sorry, Peter. I wish it were different. I wish you were different.”

“That makes two of us. You are not the woman I married. We’d talked about one day owning our own company. Of building an empire. But instead, you got pregnant.” There was that accusation again.

“It takes two to have a baby.” She stepped around Peter and walked back toward town. “Pay the divorce settlement and let’s make a clean break of it. Then we can both move on.”

“I told you I don’t want to move on.” Peter hooked his hand under her elbow and pulled her back toward him. “Listen, the children are nearly grown up. I can stick it out a couple more years and then when they leave home, we can go back to how things were. Rebuild our relationship.”

The air puffed out of Sian’s lungs, covering them in a cloud of vapor. “That’s not what I want. We’re done. Over.”

“I don’t think you’re seeing straight.”

She pulled her arm away from him. “You’re wrong. I’m seeing it all very straight. I have for a long time, I just didn’t act on it. I should have left you years ago.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because I hoped you would change. I hoped you would somehow see the two beautiful people we made together. Instead, you just saw the inconvenience of it all.” She shook her head sadly.

“I tried.” Emotion tinged his voice. “I really tried. But the mess.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Toys on the floor. Food on their faces.”

“That’s all part of it.” Sian’s sadness deepened. “You shut them out and never gave them a chance.”

“And this new man in your life? Is he going to give them a chance? Because I can’t see a stranger taking on someone else’s kids like that. You’ll end up in the same situation.”

“No, I won’t. Matthew is special, in a way you could not understand.” Her temper flared and the blood pumped through her body, giving her a flash of heat in her veins. “He won’t let us down.”

Peter shook his head. “You know, I never saw you as delusional.”

Sian shook her head. This conversation was over, she wasn’t going to stand here and argue with Peter. It had never gotten her anywhere before and it wouldn’t now. “Have a nice life, Peter. I’ll see you in court.”

“You’re still going after the money from the house even though your new beau is loaded?” Peter spat.

“Take care of yourself, Peter.” She strode off into the night, wishing she’d never come to meet him. It had accomplished nothing. All she wanted was Peter out of her life. A sob strangled her throat, but she forced herself not to let it out, not to allow him to see her pain.

If he wasn’t in her life, then he wouldn’t be in Ella and Rachel’s life and that hurt more than any of the words or actions Peter had ever aimed at Sian. All she’d ever wanted was for them to be a family, for their dad to see the two beautiful people their daughters had become. Yet right now it seemed impossible that they would ever have a relationship with their father. Particularly if Peter made Sian go back to court. There was only so much even a child was willing to forgive and Sian was fairly certain Peter was teetering on the edge and one more step, one more attempt to hurt Sian or make their lives miserable would be too much.

As she walked away from Peter, she pushed him out of her thoughts. It was time to think of herself and the girls. Time to plan their future, and Matthew would be a part of that future. Not because he was loaded, Sian wouldn’t care if he didn’t have a penny to his name. But instead, she wanted to experience unconditional love and perhaps open her heart to return that love without fear of getting hurt.

Her future lay ahead of her, her past behind.

A lightness spread through her, she was ready to move on. She would find the strength she needed to make her pet grooming business as success. How could she fail when she had the love and support of her family and friends?

Chapter Fourteen – Matthew

Matthew sensed Sian returning with some relief. His fear for her had grown until he wanted to yank the front door off its hinges and run out into the street with his nose to the ground, following her scent until he found her.

“We saved you a couple of slices,” Ella said as Sian opened the front door. She looked pale, maybe it was just the cold air outside that had robbed her of the color in her cheeks, but Matthew suspected it was more than that.

His fists clenched, and he had to force himself to relax. She was here, she was safe, and his job was to try to reunite the family and smooth over their differences. Or at least get them to a point where they spoke to each other civilly.

You have no idea what you are taking on, his bear said in his head.

You mean what we are taking on, Matthew corrected him. We are in this together, remember.

Oh no, this one is on you, since Peter will never know about me.

His bear had a point, but he was forgetting that they were a team, and this was concerning their mate and her family. Which meant they were both responsible for healing the rift between Sian, Ella, Rachel and the man who had tried to embarrass Sian at the auction. He flexed his hands once more. Whenever he thought of Peter and that moment in the auction, he was overwhelmed with a need to bite the man’s head off.

This might prove to be one of the hardest tasks he’d ever taken on.

“You look like you’re freezing,” Rachel said and hugged her mom. “Come and warm up. I’ll get you a coffee.”

Rachel escorted her mom into the living room and sat her down in front of the dying embers of the fire. “Thanks, love.” Sian held her hands out to warm them.

“Here. Let me.” Matthew crouched down next to her and wrapped his large hands around his mate’s and rubbed them together.

“My, what big, warm hands you have.” Sian’s eyes met his and they danced with humor, setting him at ease.

“All the better to warm you with.” He grinned wolfishly.

“Thanks for everything.” The smile dropped from her eyes to be replaced with an unfathomable deep longing.

“It’s the least I can do.” He looked down at her hands. “Did everything go okay with the person you went to meet?”

She nodded. “It was Peter.”

He nodded and caught her eyes once more. “I know.”

“Is that it, your super senses will always see through me?” she asked.

“No, I’m just good at reading people and you were a little agitated when you went out.” He reached up and stroked her cheek, and color flared across her skin. “Did you resolve your differences?”

She gave a short laugh. “No. I don’t think we ever will unless we go back to court.”

“Court?” Matthew asked. “Is he fighting the divorce?”

“No, he’s fighting the amount of money he wants to hand over. Since I was the one who left the house, he thinks he is entitled to more of it.” She looked tired as she stared into the fire. “He sees things differently than other people. I don’t know if he has something wrong with him.” She frowned. “Wrong isn’t the right word. But his social compass is a little skewed.”

“Was he always the same?”

“Yes. I just didn’t see it before. He’s brilliant at what he does. Unfortunately, I got swept along by his brilliance, it blinded me. We made great plans as to how our lives were going to be. Then I got pregnant and that shattered his dreams.” She ran a hand through her hair and sat up straight as Rachel approached. “Thanks, Rachel. How is the packing going?”

“We are done and waiting for you.” Rachel nodded at Matthew. “Matthew helped carry everything out to the truck.”

“It’s all in the truck already?” Sian asked, peering into the hallway. “I didn’t even notice.”

“You were a little preoccupied when you came in,” Rachel said pointedly.

“I was.” Sian sighed. “I’m tired, the lead-up to the auction was hard work and now I’m feeling the comedown. I think I could sleep for a week.”

“You could have a day off.” Rachel placed her hands on her mom’s shoulders. “You need a break.”

“I have so much to do,” Sian said wearily. “I need to find a way of getting the grooming parlor set up.”

“I thought you were waiting for the money to come through,” Ella said as she entered the room with another bag. “This is all my school stuff.”

“I don’t know when the money from your dad is ever going to materialize. Not unless I take him back to court.” Sian drank her coffee and then got up. “But let’s not talk about all that now. I might feel better once we are in a house with heating.”

Matthew got up, too, noting that Sian still wore the coat he’d bought for her. “Come on. Let’s get you settled. When I left, the house was warm and cozy.”

“Oh, I like the sound of that.” Ella shivered.

“Okay, this is the final time I’m going to ask...”

“I am sure,” he told her firmly.

“Okay then.” Sian took her coffee cup into the kitchen and he followed behind. “Help yourself to whatever you need.”

“Same goes for you in my house, although my kitchen is not as well stocked as yours.” He looked around the kitchen, which was homey, filled with the clutter of a busy family. “And I don’t have any Christmas decorations up.”

“That does surprise me.” Sian dried her cup and put it away. “What do you normally do at Christmas?”

“I usually spend it on my own with a good book and a very good bottle of whiskey.” The book was to numb his brain, the whiskey was to numb his loneliness.

“You should spend Christmas with us this year,” Ella said as she stood in the doorway. “Don’t you think so, Mom?”

“If Matthew wants to spend Christmas with us?” Sian didn’t sound as certain as her daughter.

“I wouldn’t want to impose.” He was unsure how he was supposed to respond. But the thought of spending Christmas with Sian and her daughters appealed to him. He’d never spent Christmas day with anyone he liked, let alone loved.

And he did love his mate. It was as natural as shifting. She belonged in his life and they belonged together.

“Impose?” Rachel asked, and Sian’s expression grew troubled. Was this her reason for uncertainty? Rachel was a strong-willed, opinionated young woman and Sian didn’t want to hurt her feelings. He realized then that this would be the first Christmas without their father. Of course, they might have made plans for the three of them alone.

“It wouldn’t be an imposition,” Sian said hurriedly. “But we haven’t decided what we’re doing on Christmas day. Right now we don’t even know where we will be living.”

“Well, wherever we are, Matthew should spend Christmas with us,” Rachel said firmly. “It’s the least we can do.”

Sian’s face broke out into a smile so warm and happy she could have heated the house from floor to rafters. “That’s settled then.”

“Okay.” He smiled. “I have no idea what to bring.”

“Nothing.” Sian linked her arm with his and the thrill of excitement from having her so close coursed through him. “Except yourself.”

“I can do that.” His voice cracked with emotion. To quickly cover himself, he asked, “What else needs to go in the truck?”

Ten minutes later the truck was packed, and he was driving back to his house with Sian and her daughters following behind. He couldn’t stop himself from looking in the rearview mirror every couple of minutes to check that they were okay. So this is what it felt like to be part of a family?

For once he was looking forward to Christmas. And buying gifts. That part of Christmas had always seemed so pointless to Matthew. He’d watched his secretary stress herself out over choosing the perfect gifts for everyone and never understood why it was so important. But now he got it.

His brow creased. He would have to buy gifts for Sian and her daughters. Which might be tricky since he had no idea what they liked. He could ask Sian, however, she would likely tell him it was okay and he didn’t have to go to that much trouble.

But he wanted to go to a lot of trouble, he wanted to give the perfect gift. Maybe he should just adopt a houseful of animals, they would be happy then.

Matthew turned off the road and drove up the driveway leading to his house. As the headlights illuminated the old worn timbers, he experienced a strange and new sensation. He was coming home. This old house, even with its leaking roof and the rotted porch, was his and he liked the place.

This acknowledgment somehow made his offer of its use to Sian even more special.

“This is it?” Rachel asked as they got out of the car and walked toward the truck. The big bright headlights shone on the house, casting it in a strange and eerie light.

“It is.” He turned to look at the house. “Don’t you like it?”

Rachel considered it for a moment. “It’s quaint.”

“Quaint?” Matthew asked. Quaint was not exactly his style.

“Yes, you know, homey.” She turned to link arms with her mom. “What do you think?”

“I like it. Come and see the inside,” Sian encouraged.

“You’ve already seen the inside?” Ella teased.

“Yes, I came over this afternoon to talk to Matthew and make sure he was serious about his offer.” She shrugged. “You know how people make offers on the spur of the moment and then regret it? Well, I wanted to make sure Matthew hadn’t changed his mind.”

“So let’s see it,” Rachel tugged her toward the house. As they walked, she reached out and linked arms with Matthew, too. “Thank you. When I called it quaint, it was a compliment.”

“I just want you all to be happy and warm here.” Matthew angled his body, so they could all mount the porch together, and then took out his key and unlocked the door. Ella trailed behind them, looking up at the stars.

“It’s so dark here I can pick out all the constellations,” Ella said in awe.

“Ella loves space. She wants to be an astronaut when she grows up,” Rachel told Matthew, giving him an instant idea of what to get Ella for Christmas.

One down, two to go, his bear said.

Feeling pleased with himself, Matthew pushed the door open and led them inside. Instantly, they were in love with the house.

“It’s lovely. Look at the big windows.” Ella ran to the window and looked out, staring up at the sky.

“Look at the big fireplace,” Rachel said, going to the fire and putting her hands out to warm.

“Settled in already,” Sian commented, smiling up at him.

“Shall we get everything in and really get you settled in?” Matthew asked. “Then I can show you to your rooms. Unless you want the grand tour first?”

Ella whirled around. “Which is my room? Do I get first choice?”

“Sure,” Rachel said. “I don’t mind which room I have.”

“All the rooms are a good size,” Matthew said, heading for the stairs.

“Pity, I was looking forward to you both having a calm discussion as to who got what room,” Sian joked. She looked happy and relaxed.

Which made him happy and relaxed.

A new experience, his bear commented.

I’ve been happy and relaxed before, Matthew replied.

Yes, usually after you’ve won a deal. Never because of another person.

“Come on, let’s get this over with,” Ella said and grabbed hold of Matthew’s arm, tugging him forward. “Show me the best room.”

“They’re all good rooms,” he said again, hoping to circumvent any arguments. He didn’t want anything to spoil this perfect night. If only he could stay and share a room with his mate. But this was their night, and he’d have to work hard to get them to accept him into their lives fully.

Idiot, his bear told him. They’ve invited you for Christmas, it doesn’t get more accepting than that.

Sometimes it amazed him how much sense his bear had about humans and their actions. He understood their moods and motivations better than Matthew.

That’s why we make a great team, his bear replied.

And he was right. Just as Matthew, Sian, and the girls would make a great team.

Chapter Fifteen – Sian

“How did you both sleep?” Sian asked as she drove into town. She would have loved to spend the morning at the house, really getting to know the place, but first, she had to take Ella and Rachel to school and then she had a shift to work at the sanctuary. Afterward, she would go back to the house for a couple of hours and unpack the rest of their stuff.

And maybe see Matthew. That stray thought crept into her head and would not leave no matter how much Sian insisted it wasn’t true.

Because it was true. The more time she spent around him, and the more she got to know him, the more she could picture herself spending the rest of her life with him.

“I slept great. The bed was so comfortable.” Ella glanced sideways at Rachel. “How did you sleep in the second-best room?”

Rachel laughed. “I am not letting you bait me. I don’t care if you think my room was second best. I love the house. Even if it creaks like crazy in the night.”

“Ghosts,” Ella announced as they drove along the main street through Bear Creek. “The old guy that lived there before has come back to haunt it.”

“Not being baited,” Rachel said in a cheerful voice. “What about you, Mom? Did you sleep well?”

“I did. And it was wonderful to get out of bed this morning and not be freezing cold.” She liked the house so much she never wanted to leave. And if she gave in to the mating bond, she wouldn’t have to. But her meeting with Peter last night had left her wary of trusting again. Her idea of spending her life alone kept her heart safe.

She pulled up outside of the local high school and Ella and Rachel got out. With a wave, they walked off together, talking and giggling, carefree in their new life here in Bear Creek. It had been the right thing to do, even though tearing them away from their old life and old friends had been difficult.

Snapping out of the past, she turned the car around and drove back to the animal shelter, which had become a hive of activity overnight.

“Wow, look at all this.” Sian shouldered her purse and walked across to join Ronni who was watching various tools and building materials being delivered. “The parking lot looks more like a builder’s yard.”

“I know.” Concern swept over Ronni’s face.

“What’s wrong?” Sian asked as she went inside and put a fresh pot of coffee on.

“Do you think all this noise will upset the animals?” Ronni asked as she came inside the office and shut the door.

“Most of them will be fine. In fact, most of them will enjoy watching the workers. As for the rest of them, we can swap the dogs that get stressed around and give them quiet kennels.” She left the coffee pot to brew and came back to Ronni. “Hey, it’s for a short time and then those same animals will be lucky to have you and Lucas living here. They won’t be left alone, and you and your soon-to-be-husband will have a wonderful home to live in. One you both deserve.”

“Speaking of my soon-to-be husband, here he is with Jessie.” Ronni pulled the door open and a happy yellow Lab came trotting in looking as if she were grinning from ear to ear. “Hello, girl.”

“This is incredible,” Lucas said, indicating the workers outside who were gathering in a group. “I just spoke to Will and he said they’re going to start clearing the site today. He thinks they’ll manage to get the brickwork done despite the cold.”

“Really?” Ronni asked hopefully.

“Yes, they’re going to cover the building,” Lucas looked sheepishly at Ronni. “Partly to keep the cold out and partly so it’s a big surprise when it’s unveiled.”

Ronni put her hands up to her face. “Now I’m even more nervous.”

“Don’t be,” Lucas said, putting his arms around his mate. “Just concentrate on the wedding.”

Ronni’s face paled. “The wedding.”

“We’ll all help,” Sian assured her. “Anything you need, let me know.”

Ronni nodded absently. “I’ll go talk to my mom.” She turned to look at Sian. “Maybe you could help Fleur organize my bridal shower.”

“I would love to.” Sian loved weddings, despite the fact her own marriage had ended so unhappily.

“Great,” Ronni sighed. “It’s like I’ve been in the slow lane my whole life and now I’m moving at a thousand miles an hour.”

“At least you are moving in the right direction.” Sian stroked Jessie’s head. “Let’s go make the coffee, shall we, Jessie?”

Jessie followed Sian into the back room and headed straight for the treat jar. With those large, soft brown eyes, Jessie was irresistible. Did Matthew’s bear have the same soft brown eyes that melted your heart? The only shifter bear Sian had seen was Lucas’s, he’d shifted when Ronni first explained about shifters. It was only a couple of weeks ago, but so much had changed since then it felt like another lifetime.

“Are you okay, Sian?” Lucas asked, opening the treat jar and asking Jessie to sit before he gave her the treat.

“You’ll spoil her,” Ronni warned as she joined the others in the back room. “Is everything okay with you and Matthew?”

“Great. We moved into his house last night. Which I am so grateful for, I don’t think I could have stood being so cold any longer.”

“But?” Ronni asked. “I’m certain I hear a but in there.”

“But...at some point, I have to tell Ella and Rachel about Matthew being a bear shifter. And I’m not sure how. And I’m worried it will change the way they look at him.” She shrugged. “Any advice?”

“That’s tough. I admit I’ve never had to tell many people.” Ronni looked to Lucas who was absently stroking Jessie’s head. “Any wise words?”

“Be honest and open and don’t leave it too long.” Lucas accepted a cup of coffee from Sian. “If they think you’ve been keeping it from them for a long time, they might be upset. They’re both sensible girls, I’m sure they will be fine.”

Sian sighed. “I think I’m more nervous about having to explain about mates. As soon as I tell them, they’ll know Matthew and I are meant to be together.” She dragged a hand through her hair and sighed again. “What if they feel threatened?”

“I don’t think they will. They know how much they mean to you. The three of you have been through so much, they know you are not going to just ditch them for a man.” Ronni’s words made sense and she was right. But it had taken them being said out loud for them to truly sink in.

“Thanks, guys.” Sian smiled brightly. “So, this wedding, when exactly is it?”

The talk turned to the wedding and then they all went out to do their chores. Two hours later, Sian was on her way back to the house with thoughts of Matthew and her future with him bouncing around her head. Maybe one day soon she’d be arranging her own wedding.

Which meant she had to divorce Peter. Even if that meant sacrificing the money she was owed? Sian wasn’t sure how she felt about that. The last thing she needed was to be left bitter because she gave up everything she worked for up until now.

However, when she imagined Matthew working on the porch, his well-toned body flexing and stretching as he hammered the new porch boards in place, she was certain she would do whatever it took to make a new life with him. Peter would never be the winner because he’d already lost and didn’t know it.

Chapter Sixteen – Matthew

Matthew lurked until Sian left the animal shelter. It wasn’t difficult to blend in with all the workmen who were beginning the massive task of renovating, or more like rebuilding the stone building into a house fit for Ronni and Lucas to live in. Yet the buzz amongst the workers was filled with optimism and a sense that they could not fail, they could not let anyone down.

“Spying on us, Matthew?” a stern voice inquired.

Matthew swung around. “And what if I was?” His instant go-to response was to get defensive.

“It was a joke. I’m Will Frasier, the person who said they could accomplish a Christmas miracle and get this all ready for Christmas.” The man, tall, broad, and a bear shifter from the scent of him, cracked a good-natured smile. “If you want to make yourself useful, you can help carry some of the equipment across from the parking lot.”

“I would, but I’m kind of hiding.” He grinned. “I’m waiting for Sian to leave.”

“She’s your mate, right?” Will asked.

“She certainly is.”

Will raked his hand through his hair and gave Matthew a sidelong glance. “I know you’re new to having a mate in your life, but you do know you’re supposed to want to spend every waking hour with her? I’ve never met anyone who actually tried to avoid their mate before.” He paused and frowned. “Except maybe me.”

Matthew put his hands up. “I’m trying to avoid her for the right reasons.”

“Now I’m intrigued.” Will cast a glance at his workmen. “But I have to get this bunch organized.”

“Listen, once I’ve spoken to Ronni and Lucas, I’ll come and help.” He held out his hand to Will. “Good to meet you. Maybe we can talk business sometime.”

“I like the sound of that.” Will shook Matthew’s hand and nodded while he appraised Sian’s mate. “Look after your mate and her girls. From what I hear they’ve had a rough time of it.”

“I intend to.” Matthew let go of the surge of annoyance that built inside him. Of course, he would look after them. It was his duty. Yet he was glad there were people like Will looking out for others. It was something he could aspire to.

Wow, who hit you over the head with Christmas goodwill? his bear asked drily.

Matthew ignored his bear’s good-natured jibe and turned his attention back to the reception area of the animal shelter. His mate was on the move. There she was going to her car. He held himself back when all he wanted to do was run to her and hold her in his arms. But he needed to speak to Ronni and Lucas alone.

Sian started the car engine and he watched her back up carefully, then she stopped and her head jerked up, her eyes searching...for him? Could she tell he was there watching her? Matthew jerked his head back so she couldn’t see him and slid further around the side of the wall until he was certain he was completely out of sight. To compensate for his loss of visual he instead listened for the sound of the car engine. For a couple of moments it was stationary then the wheels scrunched over the gravel covering the parking lot and the sound of the engine grew more distant.

Not that he needed to hear or see her leave. The mating bond was a deep connection between their souls and he could feel the loss of her presence keenly. Sian was his only weakness. After a life of having no real connections, no vulnerabilities, this came as a shock.

If anyone tried to harm her, we would deal with them swiftly, his bear assured him firmly.

Matthew nodded, but the idea shook him to the core. The deeper their bond became, the more vulnerable he would be to anyone who wanted to hurt him or his business.

But she also gives us strength, his bear said firmly. She has taught us how to feel again. How to interact with people in a good way. And how to love.

You are wise, Matthew told his bear.

I’ve had plenty of opportunities to witness our old lives, his bear said. I like this new one much better.

With a smile, Matthew left his hiding place and ventured out into the new world, a world filled with hope.

“Matthew. You’ve just missed Sian,” Lucas said as he entered the reception office.

“I know.” He gave one wistful look over his shoulder before he turned his attention on the reason he was here. “I’m here because I need your help and advice.”

“You do?” Ronni’s surprised expression mirrored her tone.

“Yes.” He looked from Ronni to Lucas and smirked. “We’re letting the past go, right?”

“Yes. Absolutely,” Lucas said. “Unless you mess up and hurt Sian or anyone else. Or unless you try to tear down anyone else’s property.”

“Great.” He was not going to try to defend his previous actions. It wasn’t worth it. Plus, he wanted Ronni and Lucas to like him.

Christmas magic, his bear whispered in his head like an ethereal ghost.

“I bought the pampering day...” Matthew began, but Ronni interrupted him.

“Don’t tell me you are here because you need the money back?” Her pale face told him the money was already allocated to projects for the animals.

“No. It’s yours.” He smiled reassuringly, which felt alien on his face. “I want to reverse the pampering day and do something for Sian since she works so hard. Both here, with the kids and on the classes she’s taking.”

“Oh, in that case, coffee?” Ronni’s expression brightened, and she led them into the back office where a yellow Lab thumped her tail happily at him. “Jessie likes you, so you must have turned over a new leaf.”

Matthew bent down and stroked Jessie’s broad head. “Hi there, Jessie.”

A kitten popped its head out from the back of the sofa and sprang down to bat Jessie on the head before spinning around and leaping away. Jessie rolled her eyes and started puffing, which looked like a giant grin.

“She mothered the kittens when we rescued them from an old dilapidated farmhouse over on Downend,” Lucas explained.

“So that was one of the little devils Sian is adopting?” Matthew asked as a paw snaked out from the side of the sofa and made a grab for Jessie’s tail.

“They’re all in here somewhere. Jessie is babysitting to give the momma cat a break. They are almost ready to go to their new homes.” Ronni passed Matthew and Lucas a cup of coffee. “Although Sian’s asked me to hold onto hers since she has no heating.”

“Sian and her daughters are living in my house now,” Matthew said as he stood up and sipped his coffee. “But you already knew that.”

“Does that mean they can have the kittens? Sian said Ella and Rachel are disappointed. It was kind of a Christmas gift for them.” Lucas caught one of the little demons with claws and held its tiny body in his hand. The kitten purred and rubbed its head against Lucas’s fingers. “They are super cute.”

“And yet I am unmoved,” Matthew protested. However, this was his chance to show them all he was a changed man. A man who could take in a couple of animals who needed a home. It seemed right somehow since this was the place where it all began. If the shelter had never been in danger and the auction had never happened, then he would never have met his mate.

“Not just a little moved?” Lucas held the purring kitten out to Matthew and Jessie barked in encouragement.

“This is not why I’m here,” Matthew protested as he took the kitten from Lucas.

“Isn’t it?” Ronni asked. “See, I thought you came here to help Sian, to turn her pampering day on its head. Because you want to make her happy. And the thing that will make Sian really happy is taking home the kittens she promised her daughters.”

Matthew sighed, he was a good negotiator and he knew when he was beaten, he’d witnessed it enough times after all. But always from the other side. “Okay. They can come live at my house when they are ready to leave their mom.”

“Great. Since we all know now Sian and the girls are living there, they are never going to leave, are they?” Ronni asked pointedly.

“I hope not. But we have a way to go before Ella and Rachel accept me as their mom’s new man. They don’t know about shifters or mating bonds, or any of it.”

“They’ll be okay with it. Once they see how happy Sian is with you, they’ll understand.” Lucas drank his coffee and then put his cup down on the sink. “Okay, so why are you really here?”

“The pampering day. Ella, Rachel and I were brainstorming ideas of what Sian would like and we came up with helping to get the pet salon up and running. So I need to know where she is with everything and what I can do to help.” Matthew tried to ignore the cute bundle of fur in his hand. They were somehow irresistible in a way he’d never expected.

“Oh, that would be amazing. I know Sian has been waiting for the money to come through when her divorce is finalized, but Peter is being difficult.” Ronni glanced at Lucas. “But maybe she wants to do it on her own. I don’t know.”

“Why not loan her the money?” Lucas suggested. “That way she can pay you back when she starts to make a profit.”

“Good idea. But instead of loaning her the money, I’d like to buy the equipment and have it installed.” He watched their expressions. “Or will that upset Sian? That is the last thing I want to do.”

“I have a list of everything she needs. We checked it off against what the shelter already owns. The idea is for Sian to rent the space in the building we use for new arrivals. It’s where we wash them and treat them for fleas while we assess their temperament.” Ronni went to her desk and opened a drawer. After rummaging around, she came back with a piece of paper. “Here, this is the list. I can copy it out for you.”

Matthew took out his smartphone and took a photograph of the list. “This will do fine.” He handed the piece of paper back to Ronni. “Can I arrange to have it all delivered straight here?”

“Sure, we can tell Sian it’s for our house.” Ronni folded her arms and stood back to assess Matthew. “You know, you’re not so bad.”

“Thanks,” Matthew answered wryly.

“I mean it. I thought you were a complete asshole when you came here posing as a potential adopter, just so you could nose around. But I might just have changed my opinion of you.” She let her arms drop to her side and came toward him, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him.

His shocked expression was met by one from Lucas. “Thanks.” He patted her back gently before she pulled away and wiped her eyes.

With a loud sniff, she said, “Sorry. I’m feeling a little teary right now. What with the building work beginning and your offer to help Sian? It feels as if our dreams are starting to come true.”

“They are, honey,” Lucas said and wrapped his arms around his mate. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and then looked up at Matthew. “This all gives life new meaning, doesn’t it?”

Matthew nodded. “It does. I never saw it before, but my life was empty until I came here to Bear Creek.”

He put his phone back into his pocket. “I’m going to make some calls, then I offered to help Will for a while.”

“You can stay away from your mate for that long?” Lucas asked as his arms tightened around Ronni.

“With some difficulty,” he admitted. “But I don’t want to crowd her.”

Ronni smiled through although her eyes were full of tears. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder?”

Matthew gave a short laugh. “More like absence makes my heart yearn for her more and more.” He headed for the door. “Thank you both. And please keep this to yourselves, I want to surprise Sian.”

“I think you’ve surprised us all,” Lucas told him.

“I’ll see you later.” Matthew left the reception office and headed around the side of the building. He would make a few phone calls before helping Will as promised, but all he really wanted to do was get back to the house where his mate was. But a promise was a promise and Matthew intended to be the best he could be so his mate would be proud of him.

Chapter Seventeen – Sian

“Hi there.” Matthew straightened up and watched her as she sauntered toward him. Her body tingled with the desire to feel his strong capable hands all over her.

“Hi, how’s it going?” She swallowed down her desire as he turned to face her.

“Good, I should have this finished today. The roof no longer leaks.” He put his hands on his hips and her eyes were drawn to his wide expanse of chest. How her fingers itched to stroke his skin, and her lips buzzed with the need to trail kisses over his hot flesh. “Then I can start on the next job.” He lowered his head and surveyed her. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Her voice squeaked. He was fulfilling her fantasy from earlier in the day. When she’d gotten back here and found the house bereft of her hot mate, she’d gone for a walk around the property to cool down. Yet here he was, as if she’d conjured him from her imagination. “I... The porch looks good.”

“Thanks.” He didn’t take his eyes off her. Did he have any idea of how he made her feel?

“I thought I’d make lunch.” She smiled brightly and tried to look normal, but figured she looked more like a demented fool. “Can I get you something?”

Me.

Color rushed to her cheeks. He couldn’t hear her thoughts, but she was certain her body was betraying her with all kinds of subtle hints. Peter had never made her feel like this, her body thrummed with excitement, she could get high just being close to Matthew. Was this how her life would be from now on, barely able to function because of a man? But oh, what a man he was.

“You.” His answer was accompanied by his outstretched arms and she had to force herself to focus on what the question was again.

“The feeling is mutual.” That sounded so lame, but her brain had left for a vacation somewhere warm and fuzzy.

Sian took a step forward and then another until she was in his arms. There was nowhere else she wanted to be. He tightened his grip on her as if he never wanted to let her go. “I know it’s a lot to take in, it’s a lot to believe in,” Matthew said.

“I might find it harder if I hadn’t witnessed the moment Ronni and Lucas met. It was love at first sight. Like they knew who the other was instantly.” She lifted her head and looked up at him. “Did you feel the same way?”

“I did. At the auction, it was as if cupid’s arrow had struck me in my heart. Which was weird because I thought my heart was shriveled up and blackened. But seeing you was like getting an electric shock, which kick-started my heart and my life.” He stroked her hair with his hand and dropped a kiss on her lips before murmuring, “My life changed in that split second, but I didn’t know how to handle it or how you would feel about me, so I swallowed it down and tried to hide it.”

“I know that feeling.” She listened to his heart beat constant and strong. “You’ve woken something in me, too. When I decided to move us halfway across the country for a new start in Bear Creek, I vowed I would stay away from men at least until the girls had grown up. But that promise I made to myself has shattered into a million pieces.”

“I’m glad.” He stroked her cheek and then cupped her chin in his hand. “You are freezing, let’s go inside.”

“I don’t know, I like it here with you.” She snuggled closer to him. “You are so warm.”

“Which is a good thing since I’m living in your freezing cold house.” He reached for her hand and they entered the house.

“Are you trying to make me feel guilty?” she asked. “Because it won’t work. I love it here.”

“So much that you’ll never leave?” His direct question shocked her.

“I don’t know. I mean I know we’re meant to be together. But what about Ella and Rachel?” she asked.

“They’re invited, too.” The hope in his eyes was almost too much.

“I don’t know... We have to tell them about shifters first. I don’t know how they’ll take it.” She let go of his hand and headed for the kitchen, but he pulled her back to him.

“I’ll wait as long as I have to wait. If all we have is stolen moments, then so be it.” His voice was hoarse as he wrapped his arms possessively around her.

“I can’t ask you to do that.” She lifted her face to his.

“You aren’t asking. I’m offering. No expectations, just a chance to be in your life.” He lowered his head and captured her lips and she pressed her body against his. This felt so right. As if this was where she’d been born to be.

“We’ll make it work,” Sian breathed against his neck as their kiss broke and she fought the well of emotion that threatened to explode inside her. It had been so long, too long, since she’d wanted a man. After the first blush of lust for Peter had faded, sex had soon become a formality.

She closed her eyes and drank in the sensations washing over her skin as Matthew caressed her jawline, his fingers trailing lightly down her neck as he reached for the zipper of her coat. There was nothing formal about this, she wanted to tear his clothes from his body and throw him down on the bed before making sweet, passionate love to him.

A small nervous giggle escaped her lips. Matthew had awoken the beast inside her and she was ready to set her free.

“Did I tickle you?” His question was accompanied by soft butterfly kisses along her collarbone.

She shivered in anticipation as his strong fingers curled around her coat and he pushed it off her shoulders. “That’s not exactly how I’d describe what you are doing to me.” Her fingers fumbled for the hem of his sweater and pulled it upward. “But I’m willing to experiment.”

He chuckled, a deep throaty laugh that sent tremors through her body. She wanted him and for once she was certain she was going to get exactly what she wanted. He was a shifter, he couldn’t say no to his mate, right?

“Maybe we should go take a look at the bedroom?” he asked as she pulled his sweater over his head.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak now that she was faced with the reality of sex with Matthew. Sian tried to recall what underwear she put on this morning. Was her bra sexy or serviceable? Did he care?

The dark need barely hidden in his eyes told her she could be dressed in a garbage bag and he wouldn’t care. In fact, he would prefer no clothes at all. But still, she could always run upstairs first and drag something lacy out of her drawers.

Matthew took that decision out of her hands. And into his. Scooping her up as if she were a young, nubile woman, not the middle-aged, fully-ripened mother of two nearly grown children, Matthew cradled her against his body as he mounted the stairs in haste. She could feel his hard length jutting into her thigh, and she swallowed down her panic and instead tried to resurrect her desire. But her mouth had gone dry and her palms were sweaty.

He kicked open the bedroom door and strode across the room before placing her down gently on the bed. This one tender action brought back her longing. Its tendrils unfurled deep in her belly and fanned out until her body ached for him.

Matthew hovered over the bed, uncertainty playing across his face. “Are you sure?”

In response, she grasped hold of the front of his T-shirt and dragged him toward her. “Absolutely, one hundred percent.”

He leaned forward and their lips met, gentle at first, but then the flames of desire raged inside them both. It flickered in their eyes and the heat seared their skin with each stroke, each touch. Sian slid her hands down to grip the hem of his T-shirt and dragged it upward. Matthew sat up briefly and dragged it over his head, throwing it to the floor before he unbuttoned her cardigan, and then her shirt, before pushing them both off her shoulders. She shrugged out of them, her hand getting caught in the cuff of her blouse, but together they worked to free it.

Matthew dropped her jumble of clothes on the floor, and she took a moment to glance down at her bra. It would do. Not her best lingerie, but then she hadn’t expected to be lying here on the bed with Matthew when she dressed this morning. She shook her hair back from her head and tried to look seductive, but Matthew was more interested in the button of her pants and how quickly he could drag them down over her thighs.

If she ever thought to question his own need for her, he showed her the answer in his haste to have her naked beneath him. Sian couldn’t take her eyes off him, he was beautiful. Not in a feminine way, oh no, he was all man. But his body was sculpted from smooth flesh despite his age. Only the silver-gray hairs on his head and the smattering of hair across his chest, which led down to his navel, had been touched by time.

“You are magnificent,” she breathed as he dropped his jeans to the floor.

“You’ll make me blush,” he said coyly.

“I bet you’ve heard it a thousand times,” Sian replied.

“But it only matters when you say it.” He stalked toward the bed, a hunter about to claim his prey, but the desire in his eyes told her that she had as much power over him.

A lump formed in her throat. She understood now, even without the same mating bond shifters were destined to obey, she couldn’t hurt him, would always be faithful to him, because he loved her without expectations. It was one of the purest of loves, unconditional, like that which a parent and a child shared.

Unless your name was Peter.

No. She would not let thoughts of him spoil this moment.

Not trusting herself to speak, Sian slid her hand around the nape of Matthew’s neck and pulled him close. He came willingly, their bodies resting next to each other on the bed. Skin against skin, he sought her lips and claimed her mouth with an intensity that ignited her desire. Sian opened her mouth and he slid his tongue along her lower lip tasting her, teasing her. Every nerve ending in her body anticipated his touch, aching for his fingers to caress her soft skin.

Sian shifted her weight on the bed, angling her body toward him. Matthew took advantage and unclasped her bra and her breasts spilled out, only to be captured by his large hand. With a sigh, she closed her eyes as he teased her nipple with his thumb, his work-hardened hands gentle despite their strength. She reveled in the knowledge that this was the person she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. She sure could get used to having him in her bed.

He broke their kiss and lowered his head, capturing her nipple in his mouth. Rolling his tongue around and around, he kicked her arousal up a notch. Sian stroked his toned skin, exploring his body, her fingertips gliding over the contours of his muscles, working downward along his toned abs and then lower until she curled her hand around his hard length.

Matthew groaned and nipped the sensitive skin of her breasts, while his fingers slid across her skin, lower, much lower until he caressed her mound. Sian opened her thighs, wishing the fabric of her panties wasn’t a barrier between them. Yet his touch was somehow magnified as he played his fingers across the cotton fabric edged with lace.

Then he moved, his mouth leaving her breasts, to place butterfly kisses over her soft belly. She gasped as his teeth grazed her mound, his tongue flicking out to tease her sensitive bundle of nerves and then his fingers curled around the elastic of her panties and he pulled them down over her curvy thighs. Triumphant, he crawled back up the bed, his body slipping between her thighs and she opened her legs wider to accommodate him, urging him on, needing him to claim her.

Matthew’s intentions had never been plainer, his expression one of open hunger as he guided himself into her. If she had ever doubted he was a shifter and she was his mate, then the look of pure naked desire on his face would dispel any doubt. Pushing inside her, Matthew thrust his powerful hips forward, impaling her on his hardness. The sensation was incredible as skin slid against skin. Electricity sparked between them as their passion grew.

He moved, in and out, pushing deeper as if he wanted to crawl inside her skin and be one with her. She ran her nails along his back, urging him on, deeper, harder, his powerful body taking her, waking her dormant body. Sian nipped his neck as he took her toward a shattering climax. She couldn’t hold on, her body, now awakened, needed to reach new heights. When she came, it was as if she’d lost control, giving herself to Matthew and trusting him to go with her wherever their lives might lead.

As her inner muscles pulsed and throbbed around his hard length, he cried out and lost control, his seed spurting deep inside her. A hot flash containing his very essence. So this was what it was like to mate with a shifter. She envied any woman who did not have the same connection with their man. But perhaps normal couples felt this connection even without the shifter element. Perhaps it was only her marriage to Peter that lacked the same spark.

“No regrets?” he asked as she lay in his arms, their breathing not yet returned to normal, their bodies slick with heat.

“Never.” She rolled over and stroked his face with her fingertips. “This is right. This is where we’re supposed to be. I just need time to make sure the girls are happy with the situation. With us.”

“Us. I like the sound of that.” He stroked her back and tilted his head to look in her eyes. “I’ve only thought of me for so long. But that’s all behind me.”

“Even if a multi-million dollar property deal came between us?” she asked.

“Money means nothing next to how I feel for you.” He smiled as she rolled her eyes. “I mean it.”

“And since you can’t lie, I suppose I’ll have to believe you.”

“You should, because it’s the honest truth.”

Chapter Eighteen – Matthew

Matthew spent the rest of the day floating around on a cloud of happiness. A big white fluffy cloud, the kind that skims across a startling blue sky on a summer’s day. If only he’d known how finding his mate would feel, he’d have spent his whole life looking for her, tearing the world apart until she was in his arms.

His hands tightened on the steering wheel of the truck he still had on loan from Gus. He was already convinced that he had to trade his car in for a truck. As soon as he had time, he’d head on down to the local car dealership and see what they had on offer. He wanted something reliable, the kind of truck that wouldn’t break down easily. The girls would have to get to school no matter the weather and they wouldn’t do that driving down the country lanes in a car, no matter how heated the seats were.

He wriggled in the large seat of the truck, he’d never used the heated function since his bear blood always kept him warm. But Sian might have appreciated it. A smile crept over his face. Maybe before he sold the car, he should take her to someplace quiet and make love to her on those heated seats. It certainly would be a unique lasting memory of the car, which until now had been his most prized possession.

Not anymore, his bear told him. No material thing could eclipse the feelings he had for Sian.

Love. Where the hell did that come from? It had hit him as soon as the words were out of Sian’s mouth. Hit him hard, right in the solar plexus.

He parked the truck outside the empty house that Sian used to live in. It was a temporary place for him to sleep. All he had to do was bide his time,

Unlocking the front door, he went inside and switched on the lights. If he inhaled deeply and focused his inner senses, he could single out Sian’s scent from all the others that filled the house. He closed his eyes and conjured up an image of her lying on the bed in her undergarments. She was stunning, soft and ripe like a peach.

His bear burst out laughing. Don’t ever say those words out loud, his bear told him. Not if you want Sian in our lives.

A bubble of laughter built up inside him but before it could go pop, there was a loud knock on the door.

He stiffened, his senses exploring outward, trying to figure out who it was. Of course, they would be here for Sian, or maybe it was one of her daughters’ friends. Yet the scent of a man reached him through the drafty wood of the front door. A scent he’d smelled before.

Trying to contain his anger, he spun around and yanked open the front door. “Peter.”

Peter took a step back. “Why are you in this house?” he accused. “You don’t live here.”

“Actually I do. Not that it’s any of your business.” Matthew smiled sweetly, trying to contain his bear who was itching to spring out and rip Peter’s throat out.

“That’s where you are wrong. You are standing in my wife’s house.” Peter jabbed his finger at Matthew but quickly retracted it. “You have no right.”

“As I understand it, you and Sian are getting a divorce. In fact, if you’d manned up and paid her the money you owe her, you would no longer be man and wife.” He gave Peter a withering look, as if trying to decide if he even counted as a man.

“You’re just after the money she’ll get from the divorce settlement,” Peter accused.

“Peter, watch your words, please. I don’t want to take you to court for slander.” Matthew leaned forward, his voice low and menacing. “Believe me, you won’t walk away with a penny to your name.”

“You are threatening me?” Peter asked, outraged. “Does Sian know what kind of man you are?”

“Yes. She does.” His deadly calm voice unnerved Peter.

“I can’t believe she let herself be bought by a man like you,” Peter spat.

“A man like me? You mean the kind of man who can see what a wonderful woman Sian is and how she’s raised two great kids?” Rage flared inside Matthew, but he let it simmer, determined not to let it boil over and cause trouble for Sian.

“My kids.” Peter jabbed his thumb at his own chest.

“Really? Because as I see it, you haven’t been a husband or a father for a very long time.” His words were like a slap across the face to Peter.

“She’s told you this?” Peter asked incredulously.

“No, she didn’t have to tell me, I can see it with my own eyes.” Matthew quelled the rising tirade that surged inside him. “You don’t know how lucky you were.”

“How lucky I am,” Peter corrected. “Sian is still my wife, Ella and Rachel are still my daughters.”

“Is that really what you want? Is that really what you think Sian wants? To stay married to a man who treats her with no respect, who didn’t even have the decency to pay her the money from the sale of your house. You made her go to court, you put her through all that stress and still never paid her.” He just about stopped himself from yelling at Peter, telling him he was no longer the man in Sian’s life and the sooner he realized it, the better for all of them.

“Once the girls leave home, we’ll be together again and back to how life was before,” Peter insisted. “So I’m holding on to the money.”

“Peter, Peter, Peter.” Matthew shook his head to emphasize his words. “She loves the girls and they might live at home for years.” He raked a hand through his hair, trying to let go of the anger building inside him. “I don’t understand how you would want them to leave home. They are your flesh and blood, you conceived them, most people would kill to have two beautiful children.”

“But they spoiled everything. We never talked about children then we were having a baby and all our plans were over. Finished. I wanted to love them, I really did. But we had plans. Surely a man like you, someone who has amassed such a great deal of wealth, can see that?” Peter stepped onto the defensive.

“I’d give everything I have to be a husband and father to a family,” Matthew spoke from the heart, but Peter saw an opportunity.

“I’ll trade you. All your wealth for my family. I’ll walk away, pay Sian the money from the house, leave her happy...”

“I don’t know how I’m stopping myself from punching you in the face,” Matthew said calmly.

“But we’d both get what we wanted.” Peter could not see the flaw in his idea.

“But I already have everything.”

Peter’s eyes narrowed. “Sian is my wife. Ella and Rachel are my children.”

“Are you willing to change to give them the life they deserve?” In that moment, Matthew was scared, scared he might be throwing Sian and her daughters back into their old life. If Peter decided to turn himself around and truly show them love and affection, would they go? And would they be better off if they did?

Yet this was a man who only moments before was trying to trade them for Matthew’s fortune.

“I love Sian,” Peter insisted.

“The woman she is now, or the woman she was when you first met? They are two different people, Peter. Can you see that?” Matthew saw the moment of realization in Peter’s eyes, when he understood he’d been living in a fantasy world. “You can still have a relationship with them. You can still be part of their lives. But you need to do the right thing, Peter.”

A pang of guilt swept over Matthew. Had he returned to his old manipulative ways? Should he have stayed out of Peter and Sian’s lives and let them resolve their differences?

No, he knew no man could ever make Sian as happy as he could. As a shifter, his life was devoted to being there for her, through whatever life might throw at them.

Peter didn’t say a word. He simply turned around and walked away, leaving Matthew in a state of uncertainty.

Chapter Nineteen – Sian

Sian lay in bed unable to sleep. She missed Matthew, it was as if a part of her were missing. Yet she wasn’t ready for him to move in with her and the girls. Not yet. Before that happened, she needed to resolve the issues with her marriage. Matthew might seem to be an ordinary man, but he wasn’t, he was well-known in the business community and she didn’t want his name mired down in a scandal.

Punching her pillow, she tried to get comfortable, before huffing loudly and turning onto her back. She stared at the ceiling. She stared at the window. Her mind filled with endless lists of what she needed to do to get the grooming parlor fully ready for business. Which inevitably sent her mind spiraling down into anger, which was solidly directed at Peter.

Which inevitably switched to worrying about how her broken marriage would harm Matthew’s reputation.

By the time she finally fell into an exhausted sleep, it was past one o’clock and it seemed no sooner had she slipped into sleep than the demanding sound of her alarm clock was jerking her awake.

She dragged a hand through her hair and swung her legs out of bed. Staggering across the room, she headed for the shower, hoping it would wake her up enough to function for the day.

“You look terrible,” Rachel commented bluntly as she entered the kitchen, where Sian was making toast.

“Thanks.” Sian smiled brightly. “Just what I needed to hear.”

“I say it with love,” Rachel told her mom. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes. I just couldn’t sleep thinking of everything I need to do to get the grooming parlor ready. I wanted to do a grand opening before Christmas, but I don’t think it will happen.” She sighed and poured a second cup of coffee.

“It might,” Rachel said. “You know there’s such a thing as a Christmas miracle.”

“Christmas miracles always seem to happen to someone else.” Sian hated sounding so negative. “But I can hope.”

Rachel’s phone beeped, and she pulled it out of her pocket and looked down at the text she’d received. While she was answering it, Sian wandered over to the window and looked up at the mountains. She couldn’t imagine a better view. Sipping her coffee, she imagined how the landscape would change as the seasons turned.

Promising herself she would look at the view from the window every day of her life here and give thanks for all the good things in her life, she turned around and switched back into mom mode. “Are you ready for school?” she called up to Ella who had come down early for breakfast and was now fixing her hair and applying light makeup.

“Five minutes,” Ella called back down in reply.

“I just have to brush my teeth and I’ll be ready,” Rachel said, leaving the table and running upstairs.

Sian finished her coffee and rinsed the dishes before grabbing her purse and heading for the door. The car would need deicing before they left. But as she opened the front door, the sound of a truck engine reached her. A small smile crossed her lips. Matthew.

“Hi there.” She grabbed her coat and went out to meet him.

“Hi.” He got out of the truck and came to her, scooping her up in his arms and holding her close. The warmth of his body was welcome against the chilly morning air.

He kissed her, robbing her of her breath and of her senses. Sian kissed him back, her body pressed against his as her hands curled around his neck. “Well, that’s woken me up,” she announced when he finally let her go.

“Didn’t you sleep well?” Matthew asked.

Sian put her hands to her cheeks. “Is it that obvious?”

He cupped her chin in his hand and lifted it so their eyes met. “You always look beautiful to me.” He kissed her lips and heat flooded her face.

“I have to get the children to school.” She took a reluctant step back. “And my car is iced up.”

“Why don’t I take them?” Matthew asked. “The truck has great traction and it’s already defrosted.”

A frown creased her brow. “I don’t know...”

“We could ask them,” he suggested. “I won’t be offended either way.”

“Okay.” That sounded reasonable to Sian. She didn’t want to stop Matthew and the girls from bonding, but she also didn’t want them to feel pressured into spending time with him.

But when they went inside, the girls seemed more than happy to accept a ride from Matthew.

“Matthew offered to take you to school...” Before Sian had finished speaking Ella nodded.

“Sure. Gives you a chance to finish arranging the house.” Ella kissed her mom on the cheek and bounced toward the door, her school backpack slung over her shoulder.

“What’s happening?” Rachel asked as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She looked up at Matthew and then turned her attention to Sian.

“Matthew offered to take you to school.” If Sian didn’t know better, she would guess there was something happening that she wasn’t aware of. But they hardly knew each other. Concern nagged at her mind. But the girls were sensible, and she trusted Matthew.

“Okay, let’s go, I don’t want to be late.” Rachel and Ella exchanged glances that she couldn’t fathom, and they left the house, talking quietly to each other.

“I’ll see you later today.” Matthew kissed her cheek and then headed for the door.

“You aren’t coming straight back?” Sian asked. She would like to share a cup of coffee with him before she was due over at the shelter for her morning shift.

“I have a few errands to run.” He walked backward, drinking in the sight of her before he turned and walked out of the door, leaving her a little puzzled.

She was definitely reading too much into the situation, perhaps because she had become mistrustful since Peter had his affair. That had hurt her badly. She’d put up with his behavior because she believed families belonged together. She also naively hoped Peter would wake up one morning and realize just how much he was missing out on.

Perhaps it was time to stop believing in that dream once and for all. Peter was no longer an option, she didn’t want him in her life. Certainly not as a husband. Compared to Matthew, he was a pale shadow about to be eclipsed by a brilliant sun.

Grabbing her purse, Sian decided to make an early start down at the shelter since there was so much to do with all the construction guys wandering around. Not just cleaning up but making sure the dogs got exercised and were comfortable with all the commotion. The cats, too, although they did seem far more relaxed about the whole thing.

Taking her car, despite the short journey, since she planned to go into town for groceries after her shift, Sian drove to the animal shelter. Even at this early hour, there were people in hard hats and hi-vis clothing carrying equipment and various building materials from the parking lot to the area sectioned off for the house. Excitement built inside Sian. She couldn’t wait to see the house when it was finished.

“Hi, Will, how’s it going?” she asked as she got out of the car and walked toward the reception office.

“Great.” He looked toward the open office door and then beckoned Sian toward him. “I’ve been thinking it would be great if the interior of the house was finished by Christmas, too. But my guys are good with the building, not so much with interior design, especially since we don’t know Ronni and Lucas’s tastes.”

“Do you want me to help?” Sian offered. “I could talk to their families and see what ideas we can come up with.”

“I was hoping you might say that. I plan to keep the whole house under wraps, so they don’t have a clue what’s going on. I’m hoping it’ll be like one of those big build shows on TV.” He grinned, obviously enjoying himself.

“I like that idea. Maybe get the local paper to run a story on it.”

“I already have them coming over to take photos. We’re trying to generate as much publicity for the project as possible.” He inclined his head toward the office. “Let’s make it a surprise.”

“Sure. It will be the best Christmas gift ever.” She turned around and walked toward the office while Will headed across to the house which was covered in huge tarpaulins that looked like a tent made for a giant. After her shift, she would call Tansy and Nana and ask them to meet her to discuss the project.

“You’re early,” Ronni greeted Sian as she finally made it into the office and headed to the coffee machine.

“Matthew offered to do the school run, so I thought I’d make an early start here.”

“There’s a fresh pot already made.” Ronni got up from her desk and went to fetch two cups of the aromatic coffee while Sian put her purse away and took her coat off.

“Thanks.” Sian accepted her coffee. This was a day of firsts, normally Sian’s first job was getting rid of the old grounds and making a fresh pot of coffee for herself and Ronni.

“No problem.” Ronni sat back down in her chair and turned to face Sian. “I have a small favor to ask.”

“Okay.” Sian sipped her coffee and closed her eyes, taking a moment to appreciate the bitter flavor.

“I need you to go over to Reamington.” Ronni shuffled through her papers and picked up a sheet with an address handwritten at the top. “There’s a dog that needs collecting. The owner is going into the hospital and can’t look after him anymore.”

“Wow, that’s so sad.” Sian looked up as Lucas entered the room with Jessie at his heel. “I hope the dog is as lucky as Jessie and finds a new home.”

“I hope so, too.” Ronni stood up and kissed Lucas on the cheek. “Jessie and I both got lucky.”

“I think you both got lucky,” Sian told them. “And I hope this dog gets lucky, too.” She looked down at the piece of paper in her hand. “Cracker. Is he a live wire, like a firecracker?”

“I think he used to be, but his owner, a lovely elderly lady named Sharon Wallis, says he’s just looking for a nice warm bed in front of a fire with someone who loves him and will give him plenty of fuss.” Sian grabbed her purse and shouldered her coat.

“We’ll do our best to find him the perfect home.” Ronni glanced at Lucas, love in her eyes as she smiled at her man. “Come on, we have work to do.” She got up and reached for Lucas’s hand. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when the activity center reopens for the summer. I’ve gotten used to having you around.”

“I’ve gotten used to being around. But at least when the house is finished, I’ll be here some of the time.” He kissed her. “Right. We need to get going. And so do you, Sian.”

“Yes.” She looked at her watch. “I need to be back for Ella and Rachel to get out of school.” But just as she said those words, her phone beeped. “Oh, they’re both going to a friend’s house for dinner.”

“Oh, maybe you could grab some other stuff from Reamington while you’re there. If you don’t have to be back here until later.” Ronni pulled a list off her desk and handed it to Sian who scanned the items before nodding.

“Sure. Why not?” She hitched her purse higher on her shoulder and took a moment to scrutinize Ronni and Lucas. “Is there something going on that I don’t know about?”

“No.”

“Absolutely not.”

Jessie woofed in agreement and wagged her tail.

Sian sighed. “I will see you all later.”

“Thanks, Sian.” Ronni walked her out to her car. “Drive carefully.”

“I will.” Sian opened her car door but before she climbed in, she took a moment to study Ronni’s expression. She knew her well enough to know she was hiding something. “Have a good day.”

“We will.” Her eyes danced with excitement, and Sian climbed into the car and shut the door. Whatever they had planned, she would no doubt soon find out. And although she was intrigued, she was ready to put her trust in her family and friends.

Chapter Twenty – Matthew

Technically, he hadn’t lied to his mate and yet he still felt a pang of guilt over not telling her the truth.

It was a weird, mixed-up feeling that churned in his belly like a bushel of eels.

Because you know what eels in your stomach feels like? His bear was in his usual grouchy mood.

I have an imagination, Matthew said drily.

He’d dropped Ella and Rachel at school as promised. On the way, he’d filled them in on his plans to get the grooming parlor painted and kitted out with most of the equipment today, while Sian was in Reamington. He’d already told Ronni and Lucas of his plans and they had agreed to help. The equipment had been delivered to the shelter yesterday afternoon, while Sian was at home, and had been hidden away in amongst the building equipment, so Sian had no clue.

Ronni had wracked her brains trying to figure out a plausible story that would get Sian out of the way for the whole day. Just as she was about to give up, because every excuse sounded lame, a call had come in from an elderly woman who needed to rehome her old dog.

Matthew did feel a little guilty over his feeling of relief when the call came in and gave Ronni the perfect reason to send Sian out for the day. Perhaps there was a small amount of the old Matthew Lewis still hidden inside of him.

He pondered this as he drove back to the animal shelter with his truck loaded up with everything he needed. In the space of a week, he’d become Gus’s best customer. Matthew had also become an amusement to the old-timer who had a good chuckle to himself every time Matthew came into the store.

At first, Gus had classed Matthew as one of those guys who came to Bear Creek, bought a house to renovate and then got tired as soon as the work got hard. Gus had shared many stories about people who came in his store, bought new tools they didn’t know how to use and building materials they didn’t know how to put together. Slowly, Matthew had turned Gus’s opinion on its head and earned a good deal of the old guy's respect. Not least when he put his money where his mouth was and traded in his car for a truck.

It was a real beauty, sleek, blue, and with a large flatbed on which he carried everything he needed. Timber, bricks, fence posts, yeah, he’d gone wild in Gus’s store.

His phone rang, jerking him out of his daydream. “Hi, Ronni.”

“It’s all clear, Matthew. Sian left ten minutes ago,” Ronni told him.

“Thanks. Did she suspect anything?” Matthew asked. Sian was smart and so many things today were not normal that he was certain she might be suspicious that they were all up to something, but would she guess what?

“She gave me a strange look as she got into her car.” Ronni paused. “I think it was the text she received from Ella and Rachel that really set alarm bells off, but she didn’t say anything.”

“Okay, thanks, it will all be worth it.” Was he trying to convince himself?

“It will be worth it,” Ronni agreed. “We’re starting to move the equipment into the grooming area now. You’ve gone wild with the stuff you ordered.”

“Go big or go home,” he said with a laugh. Was this what Christmas felt like?

Bringing good cheer to others had never been a priority, but he could get used to the warm fuzzy feeling that built up inside him at the thought of Sian’s reaction when she saw the finished grooming parlor.

“Then let’s go big,” Lucas announced, and they filed out of the office with Jessie trailing behind, her tail wagging and a smile on her face.

You’re going soft in your old age, his bear commented.

I know, and I like it, Matthew answered.

Work started with them collecting all the equipment they needed for the grooming parlor. They stacked it outside the door and then went inside so Matthew could fully assess the work they needed to do before installing the new equipment.

“At present, this is where we bring the animals to be assessed when they first arrive. This is the area we use to wash them and treat them for fleas and any other creepy crawlies that might have hitched a ride. This area will remain for the use of the animal shelter only.” Ronni indicated toward what looked like a small bath with a hose attachment. “This area over here is where Sian will do her grooming.”

“This is where the new bathing unit has to be installed?” Matthew inspected the corner of the room, which at present was filled with crates of dog and cat food.

“That all needs to be moved to the feed room.” Ronni turned in a full circle to survey the room. “I know it’s hard to picture it right now, but this will be great when it’s finished.”

Matthew nodded. “I’m good at picturing this kind of thing, it’s part of what I love about the property game.”

“Great. So we can get started.” Ronni went to the nearest crate and picked it up.

“Yes, if we move this, I’ll talk to Will, he said he could lend me a couple of plumbers for the day since the house isn’t ready for the plumbing to be installed yet.” Matthew and Lucas picked up two crates each and followed Ronni out of the building and across the courtyard to the feed room.

“Hey, need a hand?” A couple of the guys from Will’s crew came over, one of them took the crate from Ronni, the other followed her inside the barn and helped stack the crates.

“Thanks,” Matthew said as they all trudged back to the grooming parlor.

“No problem, we’re here to help in any way we can,” the tallest guy, with a soft Scottish accent, said. “I’m Hamish.”

“Matthew Lewis.” Matthew nodded.

“Ahh, you’re the guy who saved the animal shelter,” Hamish said.

Matthew was about to correct him, when Lucas slapped him on the back and said, “That’s right, Matthew is the hero of the hour.”

“I didn’t do much,” Matthew protested.

“Take the compliment,” Lucas told him. “I expect it’s a rare experience for you, isn’t it?”

“Being the good guy?” Matthew asked. “Yes. But I am beginning to see the appeal.”

“Then I’d call that a success.” Lucas set the last of the crates down in the feed room. “What’s next?”

“We should take out anything else we don’t need and then arrange the new equipment where it’s needed.” Matthew put his hands on his hips. “I wish I had an idea of how Sian planned to set the grooming parlor up.”

Ronni grinned. “I know, we talked about it while she compiled her list.”

“Great. This is coming together just right.” He glanced at his watch. “I have to pick Ella and Rachel up from school. They want to come help, too.”

“How are you getting along with them?” Ronni asked as she helped him open a box containing a large dog bath. They lifted it out of the box and set it down in position.

“Good, I think. Of course, they have no idea about shifters. So that’s a conversation we need to have soon.” He pulled the next box toward him and cut it open. Inside was the large faucet with a hose attachment.

“They’ll be okay about it,” Ronni assured him. “If you’re really worried, Lucas and I can talk to them.”

“Thanks. I’ll talk it over with Sian.”

Ronni smiled. “Look at you all grown up, talking things over with your mate.” She grinned and then asked, “Coffee?”

He chuckled to himself as she left the room. She was right, he was growing, not necessarily up, but in ways he’d never thought he would. He cared about other people’s feelings, he cared about their views and he wanted everyone around him to be as happy as he was. If this was Christmas magic, he hoped it lasted all year round.

They worked on through the day until it was time for Matthew to collect the girls from school. He drove his truck into town, grabbed some cakes and pastries from the Bear Creek Bakery and then drove to the place he’d arranged to meet them. Switching off the engine, he waited, anxious that he wasn’t too late. But five minutes later they came hurrying toward him, laughing and talking.

“Hi, how’s it going?” Ella asked as she climbed into the truck next to him.

“Great, we have all the equipment in place, now we need the finishing touches. I hope you know how to use a paintbrush.” He grinned as Rachel got into the passenger seat and put her seatbelt on.

“Of course we do.” She sat back in the seat as he pulled out into the traffic. “I’m worried Mom will be upset we deceived her.”

“It was only a little white lie,” Ella told her sister. “And when she sees the finished grooming parlor, she’ll be so happy.”

“I’ll text her to see how she is,” Rachel announced and got her phone out of her school bag and tapped the screen. A moment later, her phone buzzed with a reply. “She’s still in Reamington. She’s got all the stuff Ronni asked her for and is now sitting having a cup of tea with the lady who has to give up her dog.”

Ella’s bottom lip trembled. “I didn’t know that’s what Mom was doing.”

“Yes, Ronni took a call from an old lady who needed to go into the hospital and had no one else to look after her dog. She asked Sian to go and fetch her,” Matthew informed them.

“Poor Mom. She’ll be so upset,” Ella wiped her finger under her eye.

“At least the lady knows her dog will be well looked after. The shelter never puts an animal to sleep.” Rachel tried to comfort her sister, but Ella sobbed at the thought of the old lady and her dog being separated.

“I wish there was something we could do,” Ella said wistfully.

“There is,” Matthew told her. “Help with the grooming parlor, since that will bring in a regular amount of revenue for the shelter. Your mom is paying them rent for the use of the premises.”

“It doesn’t seem like much.” Ella leaned back in her seat, her arms folded across her lap.

“Sometimes you have to start with the small stuff.” Matthew drove out of town and took the back road leading to the animal shelter. He sympathized with the old lady, but sometimes you simply couldn’t save everyone.

Instead of going straight to the shelter they first drove to the house, so the girls could change into old clothes that didn’t matter if they got covered in paint. After devouring the cakes and pastries, they all headed to the shelter, where Ronni and Lucas were doing their afternoon rounds, feeding and watering the dogs.

“Hey, girls. Good day at school?” Ronni asked.

“Sort of,” Rachel began before she eyed Ronni, Lucas and Matthew warily.

“What’s wrong?” Ronni asked.

“I don’t know, something weird happened.” She pressed her lips together, as if trying to decide whether to speak.

“What kind of weird?” Lucas raised his eyebrows at Matthew, who shrugged. He had no idea what had happened. Perhaps Rachel didn’t know him well enough to trust him with the information.

“Okay, you know at the auction, what Simon said about bears?” Rachel asked.

Ella rolled her eyes. “You aren’t buying into that urban legend about people turning into bears, are you?”

Matthew’s heart hammered in his chest, while Ronni and Lucas exchanged worried glances. It seemed the girls might learn about shifters without their mom being here. Would she be okay with it? Or would his plan of making her happy by completing the grooming parlor backfire spectacularly?

“It’s not an urban legend,” Rachel said firmly. “I saw it, with my own eyes.”

“Someone was making fun of you,” Ella insisted.

“No, some kid turned into a bear right in front of me.”

“And then what?” Ella asked.

“He turned back again, got up and ran off.” Rachel looked at Ronni. “You believe me, don’t you? You’ve lived here all your life, you must have seen people change.”

“Yes.” Ronni’s blunt reply was met with disbelief from both girls.

“Have you seen a bear shifter?” Rachel asked, as if hoping Ronni’s answer would prove to her she wasn’t crazy or being made fun of.

“I’ve seen lots of shifters.” Ronni glanced at Lucas for backup.

“So have I.” Lucas came to stand next to his mate.

“Me, too.” Matthew put his hand up as if he were still in school.

Ella’s eyes narrowed. “Are you making fun of us?”

“No.” Ronni went to Ella and put her arms around her. “We’d never do that. But part of being in Bear Creek is sharing and keeping the secret of shifters. What Rachel saw today was likely a kid who had just hit puberty and hasn’t gained control of their shifting yet.”

“Does puberty trigger...shifting?” Rachel asked. “Because if so, that explains the weird behavior of some of my classmates. I wondered why some kids were so strange. I figured it must be all this mountain air.”

Ronni laughed. “It’s a strange experience when your body does its own thing. After a couple of tries, it’s easy to contain the other side of yourself.”

“You mean you are a shifter, too?” Ella asked in disbelief.

“Yes.”

“And so am I.” Lucas glanced sideways at Matthew, his expression unreadable. “Ronni and I are bonded mates.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Ella asked.

“You’re not supposed to curse,” Rachel told her younger sister.

“I think I am entitled to curse when we have just found out that people can supposedly turn into animals and that Ronni and Lucas are bonded mates.” She switched her attention back to Ronni and Lucas. “So what does it mean?”

“Bonded mates are two people who belong together. A shifter knows who their mate is as soon as they see them for the first time,” Lucas explained gently.

“Like true love on steroids.” Ella nodded, then she frowned. “Wait, are you sure this isn’t all made up?”

“No.” Ronni looked around. “I can show you.”

“Show us? You mean, turn into a bear, right here, right now?” Ella’s face paled. “You can really do that?”

“Yes.” Ronni stepped away from the others and in an instant, the air shimmered around her and she faded out of sight. No sooner had her human form disappeared than her bear began to emerge as if from behind a cloud. Slowly her big bear body turned from a large blob into a grizzly bear.

“Whoa.” Ella took hold of her sister’s hand and staggered backward. “I didn’t think it was true.”

“It is true,” Matthew said, admiring Ronni’s courage to show Ella and Rachel her other side.

“Can we stroke you?” Ella asked, taking a step toward Ronni, who nodded her head and accepted the two girls into her space. They stroked her fur, rubbed her head and curled around her until they were completely satisfied she was real.

“That is amazing,” Rachel said and then she stopped stroking Ronni and looked up at Matthew. “Are you a shifter, too?”

“I am,” he acknowledged.

“And you can turn into a bear, too?”

He nodded once more.

“And Mom is your mate.” The realization in Ella’s voice was coupled with a wide-eyed expression. “That’s why you bought her at the auction and then let us move into your house. You are in love with my mom!”

Matthew recalled the conversation he’d had with Sian only yesterday when they both declared their love for each other. “Yes. I love her very much. We are mates.”

“Are you going to marry her?” Rachel asked.

Matthew hesitated. “I want to. But she’s still married to your dad.”

“But if she wasn’t married to Dad?” Ella asked.

“Then I’d marry her in a heartbeat.”

“And that’s why you are doing this.” Rachel indicated the grooming parlor.

“It is. I want your mom to be happy and I know she won’t just take my money, she wants to stand on her own two feet and support you all.” Matthew’s obvious love and respect for Sian shone through in the way he spoke about her.

“Does this mean we can live in the house permanently?” Ella asked hopefully.

“That is something you need to talk to your mom about,” Matthew said diplomatically.

“In the meantime, why don’t we get this place finished for her?” Ronni suggested.

“Good idea,” Ella said. “She’ll be so happy. She keeps worrying how she’ll ever finish it without the money from Dad.”

“I’m not sure she’ll want to accept all this equipment,” Rachel told Matthew.

“It’s a loan,” he began. “This means she can get the business up and running and pay me back either with her profits or with the money from your dad. Or maybe I could give it to her as a wedding present once she gets a divorce.”

“So you’ll be our stepdad?” Ella asked as they opened the cans of paint and prepared to paint the room.

“If that’s okay with you both. I’ll be there for you all as much as you need me to be.” He handed out the paintbrushes. “All I want is for you all to be happy.”

“And how much money do you have again?” Ella asked with a small smile.

“Ella,” Rachel said in shock.

“It was a joke. Seriously, we just want Mom to be happy. She deserves the best in life.” Ella picked up a brush and started to paint.

“I want to give your mom the best of everything,” Matthew told them, and he meant it. With all his heart.

Chapter Twenty-One – Sian

“Here we are, this is your new home.” Sian stroked Cracker on the head as she switched off the engine and looked at the animal shelter. It was dark outside, but the lights from the reception building were still on, like a beacon guiding them home. “You’ll like it here.”

She opened her car door and got out. Cracker sat looking at her, not sure of the situation at all. He’d left his home and his old owner, and wasn’t sure he liked this new life. Sian could sympathize with him. When she’d left Peter, she’d been scared. But things turned out better than she could ever have imagined.

“It’ll be okay. I promise.” She leaned back into the car and took hold of the leash. “I’ll be with you every step of the way. I promise.”

Cracker sighed heavily and took a step forward, then another. With another deep sigh, he jumped down on to the ground and took a look around him at his new home. A lump formed in Sian’s throat. Sharon, his owner, had been broken-hearted at having to give up her beloved dog. As Sian watched the two say their farewells, Sian had promised to do what she could to reunite them after Sharon had finished her treatment.

She had a plan. But she wasn’t sure if she could carry it out on her own. Perhaps she was foolish for trying to interfere. She knew she couldn’t help everyone who had to give up their pet. Sometimes situations were far too complicated. But she was certain she could help Cracker and Sharon.

“Come on, boy. It’s late, we need to get you checked over and settled in.” She spoke with an upbeat tone, and Cracker pricked his ears and followed her toward the reception office.

There was still a lot of activity around the back of the animal shelter, Will’s men were working overtime to get the house ready for Ronni and Lucas. None of this seemed to bother Cracker, who even managed to wag his tail when one of the workmen stroked his head.

“He’s a bonnie dog,” the guy spoke with the soft burr of a Scottish accent.

“Yes, he is. He’s here for a while because his owner has gone into the hospital,” Sian explained.

Cracker wagged his tail and sniffed the man’s hand. “Well, that sucks big time.” He crouched down and stroked Cracker some more. “How will he take to being in a kennel?”

“I don’t know. We’ll support him in any way we can, but it’s difficult when they are used to a nice bed and a constant companion.” The lump in Sian’s throat swelled. “I need to get Cracker settled for the night.”

The guy stood up, he must have been six-foot-five at least and his chest was broad, his arms strong and a scruffy blond mane of hair. A shifter if she wasn’t mistaken. Now that she knew about shifters, she looked at people differently, particularly those who lived in Bear Creek. She was trying to hone her skills at spotting a shifter amongst ordinary people.

Ordinary people. She gave a faint smile. Nothing in her life was ever going to be ordinary again. In fact, it was extra-ordinary, just like her mate.

“I’ll see you around, Cracker.” The guy stood up. “I’m Hamish, by the way. I know, my mom wasn’t exactly original when she named me.”

“I like it,” Sian grinned. “And it’s good to meet you, Hamish.”

He nodded and walked off toward the house, while Sian went to the reception area to check in with Ronni. Cracker trotted along obediently by her side.

“There you are.” Ronni stood up as Sian entered. She looked a little nervous and a little guilty. The sense that something was going on behind Sian’s back returned.

“Here we are. This is Cracker.” Sian bent down and stroked the brown and tan dog. He was a crossbreed of some kind, but Sian had no idea exactly what breeds had been added into the mix.

“Hi there, Cracker.” Ronni came around the desk and hunkered down in front of him, offering the worried dog her hand. “It’s okay.”

“Is it?” Sian asked, gulping loudly to swallow her tears. “Today was incredibly hard for him and Sharon.”

Ronni placed her hand on Sian’s arm, offering her comfort. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have sent you.”

“No, it’s okay. I can do what needs to be done,” Sian reassured her. “It’s part of the job.”

“The hardest part,” Ronni replied. “At least one of the hardest...” Her voice trailed away.

“Shall we get him checked in? I have to go and pick the girls up in an hour or so.” She checked her phone, she was waiting for a text from Ella or Rachel to say what time they needed picking up from her friend’s house.

“Why don’t we go take him to be checked over first,” Ronni suggested. “Then we can get him settled before it gets too late. I can do the paperwork afterward.”

“Sure, that sounds like a good idea.” She eyed the coffee pot in the back room, but Ronni was already ushering her out of the door.

They crossed the yard to the building where her grooming parlor would one day be open for business. Sian had forced herself not to think about Peter or the money he owed her all day. However, now faced with the prospect of going inside the building, a wave of disappointment swept over her. Maybe she should let Ronni do this alone, but she’d come this far with Cracker and she would stay with him and reassure him.

Ronni went first and held the door open for her. Sian entered the room and switched on the light.

“What happened?” she asked in shock as she took in the freshly painted walls and the brand-new equipment she could not afford.

When she turned back to look at Ronni, the doorway was filled with the faces of her two wonderful daughters, her amazing mate, and her best friends. “Surprise,” they chorused quietly, so as not to scare Cracker.

“You did all this?” Sian asked in amazement,

“We did.” Ella rushed up to her and threw her arms around her mom’s neck, “We wanted to pamper you and we decided this was the best way.”

“You’re right, it is the best way.” She turned around and took in the whole room. It was set up exactly as she’d planned. Sian had spent many hours talking over the best layout with Ronni. She was so grateful her friend had taken time out of her busy day to help. At least she could return the favor by ensuring Ronni’s house was perfect for her when Will had finished the building work. “Thank you all so much.”

“Come and have a look at everything.” Rachel came into the room and pulled Sian forward before she noticed Cracker. “Oh, who is this puppy?”

“This is Cracker,” Sian told them as Cracker wagged his tail, happy to be distracted by all the people around him.

“Hello, Cracker.” Ella and Rachel were completely absorbed in saying hello to the new arrival.

“Did you have a part in this?” she asked Matthew, who stepped into the room and came toward her, taking her into his arms.

“I might have had a small part in it,” he admitted.

“Are you being modest again?” Lucas teased.

“Maybe a little.” Matthew grinned. Something about him had changed, his expression looked lighter, less serious.

“You had fun doing this, didn’t you?” Sian asked.

“I did. Except for the part about going behind your back. That was difficult. More than I thought it would be.” He wrapped his arms around her possessively. “So, do you like it?”

“I like it very much.” She took a step forward, and Matthew went with her as if he never wanted to let her go. If she ever doubted how completely he loved her and wanted her in his life, those doubts were gone. “And you paid for it all?”

Matthew’s arms stiffened. “We were trying to figure out how we could pamper you since you have such a hectic life. And we came up with this.” With his arm still firmly around her shoulders, he turned her around, so she could see everything they’d done while she was in Reamington. “Ella and Rachel told me how important starting your own business was. The money can be a loan or a gift.”

“And since you two are true mates, it could be like a moving-in gift. Or a wedding gift, once you are divorced from Dad,” Ella said from the floor where she was seated next to Cracker, who seemed to be loving all the attention.

“Wait, you know about mates?” Sian asked.

“Rachel saw someone turn into a bear at school today,” Ronni quickly explained. “So we kind of had to have that conversation.”

“Although we haven’t seen Matthew’s bear yet,” Ella cut in.

“Some other time,” Matthew said. “Once we’ve finished here, I have a reservation for us all at The Catherine Hotel. Gus told me the food there is amazing. Taking your mom out to dinner was the other part of the pampering day, right?”

“It was and I’m starving.” Rachel pushed herself up from the floor. “What about Cracker?”

“We need to get him settled in his kennel,” Sian said sadly as she looked down at the little dog who seemed to be part of the family already. “Or maybe we can foster him?”

“That’s up to you all,” Ronni said. “But he does seem to have fallen in love with you guys.”

“Just like me.” Matthew’s words were filled with raw emotion. “I didn’t know what love was until you let me into your lives. All of you. And I want to thank you for that.”

Lucas clapped him on the back. “Love trumps everything in life, doesn’t it?”

“It sure does.” Matthew looked around the room. “Today has been an incredible day. The sense of achievement for doing something for other people, not for profit, took me by surprise.”

“Good, because I have one more thing I’d like to ask you to do for me,” Sian said nervously. She didn’t want Matthew to think she was only after him for his money. Nothing could be further from the truth, she’d live in a freezing cold house with barely enough money to get by if she had to. Love, family, and friendship truly did mean more than anything else in the world.

“Which is?” Matthew asked.

“Cracker’s owner...” She paused, unsure of asking Matthew for help when despite them being mates, they hadn’t known each other more than a week.

“You want us to reunite Cracker and Sharon?” Matthew asked. “I think I’m getting the hang of this empathy thing.”

“Yes.” She turned to look at Ronni. “I know we can’t help every owner and every pet that come to us for help. But I truly believe we could help them stay together.”

“Then we should try,” Ella got to her feet, her face set firm. “Cracker and Sharon are family to each other, and families should be together at Christmas.”

“Do you have a plan?” Matthew asked, slightly bemused.

“Well, if you move into the house with us...” She paused, waiting for objections, but there were none. “Then she could move into the house we rented, after the boiler is fixed, of course.”

“Sharon gave up Cracker because she had no one to care for him after her operation,” Ronni explained. “So if we all pitch in and help, she could have Cracker with her and hopefully make a speedier recovery.”

“Yes. It’s a proven fact that animals help people feel better.” Tears choked her throat once more. “She was so upset when I left with Cracker. This would be an amazing thing for us to do for them both.”

“Then we should do it,” Matthew agreed. “As long as you don’t mind me moving in with you.”

“Are you house-trained?” Ella asked cheekily.

Matthew let out a belly laugh. “My bear says emphatically yes. He can’t wait to meet you all.”

“I would love to meet him,” Ella enthused.

“Someday soon,” Matthew promised. “Today is all about your mom.”

Sian smiled through her tears as she hugged Matthew and then held out her arms for her daughters. “This makes me happy. So very happy.”

“Does that mean you’ll accept the equipment as a gift?” Matthew asked.

Sian’s pride prompted her to say no and refuse his gift, but if she respected Matthew’s desire to change and grow as a person, then she had to accept his kindness. “I will.”

His face cracked into the most beautiful smile, his eyes lighting up as they danced merrily. This was her future now, these people, her family, and friends. Her lover, her mate, and one day soon, hopefully, her husband.

They had so much to look forward to, making a home together with the girls, building her business and helping Ronni and Lucas with their new home, while also helping Cracker and Sharon continue their lives together.

And together they would make it. Together they could do anything. Whether it was because of mate magic, or Christmas magic, Sian didn’t know. Or maybe love had a magic of its own.

Epilogue

“I can’t thank you enough,” Sian told Matthew as they put the finishing touches to the grooming parlor. Today was the grand opening, and butterflies filled her stomach. She wasn’t sure if she was nervous or excited, or perhaps an equal measure of both. She never expected the grooming parlor to open before Christmas, yet here they were, all thanks to Matthew.

“You already have thanked me enough.” Matthew took her in his arms and kissed her mouth. Tendrils of desire unfurled in her stomach, pushing the butterflies to one side. “You have made my dreams come true.”

She ran her hands over his chest and murmured, “You know, we missed something.”

“What?” he asked as she took hold of his hand and led him to the small storage room at the back of the grooming parlor.

“I don’t know, but I’m sure I’ll think of something.” Sian opened the door and slipped inside, pulling him behind her.

“I’m certain we’ll think of something.” He lifted her off her feet and set her down on a box filled with cans of cat food. “Are you sure we have time?”

“We will if we stop asking questions.” She claimed his mouth, while her hands set to work undoing his belt.

Matthew chuckled against her mouth, his hands on her thighs, pushing her skirt up as he nestled his body between her legs. Sian pushed his pants down over his butt while Matthew hooked his fingers around her panties and pulled them to one side. Like a well-rehearsed routine, he entered her, pushing slowly, deeply, filling her in one slick motion.

Her body ached for him, to have his hands roaming her naked skin, and his lips kissing her sensitive flesh. But that would have to wait for later. Right now there was an urgency in their lovemaking and she let herself get swept along with it. Matthew pulled out of her, his hips flexing as he lunged forward, filling her completely. In and out, he moved, a steady rhythm that edged her ever closer to her climax.

She bit his bottom lip, her fingers trailing down over his well-muscled shoulders as he slipped his hand under her sweater and eased her bra upward. Tweaking her nipple between his finger and thumb elicited a sharp gasp from Sian. She loved the way he made her feel alive, as if he was constantly finding a new part of her that had been asleep her whole life.

Matthew was the man she’d always wanted in her life. He was kind and generous, not only with his money but with his time. Ella and Rachel had grown fond of him and they muddled along happily together in his house. True to his word, he’d helped her to help Cracker and Sharon be together. With Mr. Wendell’s permission, he’d arranged for the boiler to be fixed and helped furnish the house, so Sharon could sleep downstairs while she recovered from her treatment. It was as if he truly got how much it meant to the elderly woman and her dog. But then perhaps it was because he knew he could not live without the people who filled his life with love and happiness.

In a way, Matthew was paying it forward.

Sian ran her hands down over his back and grabbed his butt, urging him deeper, harder. They didn’t have much time before Ronni and Lucas would return with the girls, who had been sent to the house to get the food ready for the small celebratory party being held in the grooming parlor.

Matthew put his hand on the small of her back and held her in place as he thrust into her, impaling her completely as his body tensed, and he came. His seed filled her, and she could not hold herself together any longer. Her inner muscles tensed, tightening around his hardened length. She loved the intensity of the emotions that joining with Matthew evoked in her. Each time they made love, it strengthened their bond.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Matthew asked as he kissed her neck, his breath warm across her skin.

“I think I did.” She cupped his face in her hands. “I might need to take another look later, though.”

He chuckled and kissed her. “Anytime.”

“We should get back out there.” She adjusted her clothing and Matthew bent down to pull his pants up. But before he’d buckled his belt, his body went rigid. “Someone’s coming.”

“I’ll go out and see who it is, while you straighten yourself out.” She slid down off the box of cat food, kissed his cheek and darted out of the storage room, smoothing down her hair, just as the door leading to the grooming parlor opened. “Peter.” Her voice came out high and breathless. Not because she was excited to see him, but because she was worried Matthew might appear and rip her husband’s head off his shoulders. Which is exactly what he’d do if Peter was here to spoil her opening. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to give you this.” He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her.

Sian hesitated for a moment before taking it from him. Her hand shook as she looked down at it. “This is the money you owe me from the house.”

“It is.” He nodded. “I’ve spoken to my lawyer; the divorce will be finalized in the next couple of days.”

“It will?” She couldn’t keep the suspicion from her voice.

“Yes.” He walked around the grooming parlor, running his hand over the brand-new sink and sparkling clean faucets. “So this is really what you want to do with your life?”

“Yes. It is.” She swallowed down her emotions and glanced at the door to the storage room. Matthew must be dressed by now, but he’d chosen to stay hidden and she was thankful to him for not barging out and confronting Peter.

“You changed.” His tone was almost accusing, but he looked disappointed.

“And you didn’t.”

He nodded his head sagely and she clamped her mouth shut, not wanting to say more and cause a fight. She’d gotten what she wanted. At least Peter had been man enough to do the right thing and obey the court judgment, so she didn’t have to go back and fight him again.

“I’d like to see Ella and Rachel. Sometime. If they want to see me.” He pressed his lips together and she couldn’t tell how serious he was or if he was saying the words because he should.

“They would like to visit with you, I’m sure. Maybe you could come by sometime.” She hoped Matthew wouldn’t mind her inviting her ex-husband to their house. Because that was what Peter would be very soon, her ex.

“Sometime.” He came toward her and pecked her on the cheek. “I’m leaving Bear Creek, going back to where I belong.”

“I hope you find what you are looking for, Peter.” She wanted him to be happy, she truly did. It was a relief to know he’d finally realized that his happiness lay elsewhere. “Thank you for the check. And the divorce.”

“Cash it quickly before I change my mind,” he said drily, reminding Sian of exactly why she’d left him.

Don’t worry, if it bounces, or I don’t hear from your lawyer, I’ll see you in court. That was what she thought, anyway. But she knew better than to goad him, so she settled for, “Goodbye, Peter.”

He left, and she watched him go before she opened the storeroom door. “Safe to come out?” Matthew asked.

“Safe for you or Peter?” Sian asked with a knowing smile. “Thank you for staying out of it.”

“I’m glad he took my advice and finally saw sense. I didn’t think he would.” Matthew grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him.

“Took your advice?” Sian asked, leaning back as he tried to kiss her. “You spoke to Peter?”

Matthew’s brow creased. “I never told you. He came to your house, asked me what I was doing there.”

“And why didn’t you tell me?” Sian asked.

Matthew shrugged. “It slipped my mind. And I suppose I was worried you might have been upset with him.”

“What exactly did you say to him?” Sian asked.

“That he was a fool to let you and the kids slip out of his life. That he didn’t know how lucky he was to have a wife and two wonderful daughters.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “I admit I was worried for a while that I might have talked him into giving it another go with you.”

“That was never going to happen,” Sian reassured him. “But thank you.”

“All I want in life is to make you happy.”

“Even if that meant walking away from us?” She stroked his cheek, amazed at the man Matthew had become. The man she suspected he always had been. It had taken love to give him the strength and courage to let his barriers down, and let other people in, and himself out.

“Anything for you.” He dropped a kiss on her lips. “You’re not upset?”

“No. Today is a good day.” She looked down at the check in her hand. “It’s a day of new beginnings.”

“So he said he was giving you the divorce at last.”

“He did.”

Matthew let go of her hands and dropped down on one knee, while he pulled something out of his pocket. “Is it too soon to ask you to marry me?”

“Never too soon.” She held out her hand and he slipped his ring onto her finger.

“I love you more than anything in the world, Sian. Will you marry me?”

“I will.” She pulled him to his feet and hugged him close. “I love you, Matthew Lewis.”

“So I really did buy a bride.” He dropped a kiss on her head.

“I guess you did.” But he’d gotten more than a bride, he’d gotten a family. Including two naughty little kittens, which he adored. Even if he never admitted it.

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Return to Bear Creek Collection One...

Other Books By Harmony Raines

Other Books By Harmony Raines

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READING ORDER FOR

Bear Creek Clan and Bear Bluff Clan

Complete Box Set

Or available individually
suggested reading order

(each can be read as a standalone
but why not start at the beginning and get to know all of the characters?)

Rescued by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book One)

Finding Her Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Two)

Tamed by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Three)

Snowbound With The Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Four)

Biker Bear Billionaire (Bear Creek Clan Book Five)

Bound To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book One)

Doctor Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book Two)

Stranded With Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Three)

A Bride for the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Six)

Home Or Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Four)

Fated To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Five)

Lonely Bear (Bear Bluff Book Six)

Wolf Valley Raiders

Complete Box Set Out Now!

Or available individually
suggested reading order

Redeem the Wolf

To Catch A Wolf

Reclaim the Wolf

Awakening the Alpha

Biker Bears

Forbidden Bear

Secret Bear

Christmas Bear Brothers

Complete Box Set Now Available

Or available individually
suggested reading order

Santa Paws

Christmas Catastrophe

Bear Humbug

Fated and Mated

Love at First Site

Her Scars To Bear

Her Choice To Bear

Her Russian Bear

Who’s the Daddy?

Complete Box Set Available

Or available individually
suggested reading order

One Bear and a Baby

Her Bear and a Baby

Second Chance Bear and a Baby

Baby Protector Bear

Return to Bear Bluff

Complete Box Set Available

Or available individually
suggested reading order

The Bear is Back in Town

His Bear’s Necessity

Black Bear Down

Who Bears Wins

When Bears Collide

Wish Upon A Bear

Cowboy Brother Bears

Complete Box Set Available

Cowboy Bear Blues

Cowboy Bear’s Mate

Cowboy Bear’s Fate

Return to Bear Creek

Daddy Bear

Mountain Bear

Honey Bear

Forever Bear

Storm Bear

Silverback Dragon

P.I. Bear

Doctor Daddy Bear

Bad Boy Bear

Silverback Bear

Ranger Bear

Christmas Bear

Hero Bear

Undercover Eagle

Single Daddy Dragon

Secret Baby Bear

Silverback Wolf

Awakened Dragon

Treasure Bear

Silverback History Bear

River Run Wolf

Silverbacks and Second Chances

Cursed Bear

Lucky Bear

Fated Bear

Song Bear

Blind Date Bear

Christmas Bears

Sleighed

Claused

Wrapped

Hero Mine

Bear my Fate (Hero Mine Prequel Book 0)

Hero Mine - Kurt

Bear Bait (Hero Mine Book 1)

Shifters Prime Sleeping Lions

Complete Box Set Now Available

Living a Lion

Freeing a Lion

Fighting a Lion

Chosen by the Karal

Complete Box Set

Or available individually

Deceit

Love

Power

Hunger

Devotion

Warriors of Karal

Stranded

Found

Taken

Hunted

Allies

Sci-Fi Romance

The Princess and her Alien Rogue

The Princess and her Bounty Hunter

Her Dragon's Bane Serial

Soul Of The Dragon

Blood Of The Dragon

Heart Of The Dragon

Love Of The Dragon

Fate Of The Minotaur

Mate Of The Dragon

Bound To The Flame - A Virgin For The Dragon

When the dragon egg hatches for Trinity she becomes the Dragon Princess and must remain pure until the dragon comes back to claim her as his mate on her twenty first birthday.

An Heir For The Flame (Dragon Fantasy Romance)

The elder dragons have predicted that Trinity will conceive the new dragon child tonight. So she mates with ShanRohit under the full moon.

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For The Love Of The Wolf (Erotic Romance Fairy Tales)

Marianne : Unmarked (His) (Paranormal Shifter Romance)

Bred By The Unicorn (Virgin Paranormal Erotic Romance)

The Escort Box Set

***

The Escort Series

The Escort (The Escort Series Part One)(Free in some regions)

The Escort (The Escort Series Part Two)

The Escort (The Escort Series Part Three)

A Curvy Christmas: Robin's Romance (BBW Romance)

Helen’s story:

His Secretary (Her Second Chance Book One)

His Secretary (Her Second Chance Book Two)

His Secretary (Her Second Chance Book Three)

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Saved By The Pack

Alice

Sarah

The Dualis

(Mate of the Cave Bear)

Found (Book One)

Lost (Book Two)

Return (Book Three)

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