A Cold Winter's Day 25 (12 page)

He walked into the living room where the fire was crackling, reminding him of when he sat in Malcolm’s lap, inhaling his mate’s scent and praying he never left his mate’s arms. Even though Malcolm had only been gone no more than half an hour, he missed the giant already.

Luke sat Cole in the corner of the couch, stuffing pillows around him as he began to clean. It was the least he could do to earn his keep around here.

“I’m making lunch. Do you want some?” Steven asked as he walked into the living room.

“I’m not really hungry, but thanks,” Luke replied as he picked up an empty cup and a few magazines. He wasn’t sure where anything went. He stared at the items in his hand and then tossed the magazines on the coffee table.

Picking Cole up, Luke went in search of the laundry room. He found D in there, a blanket draped over him as he snored. What in the hell was the vampire doing in the laundry room? Luke glanced around, wondering why D would be in there.

He peeled the blanket back just enough to confirm that it was the vampire. It disturbed him to see the bloodred streaks staining D’s face as he slept. No man should be in that much misery. Luke quickly tossed the heavy blanket back over D’s head.

He took Cole into the kitchen, spotting Steven at the stove. “Would you mind watching him for a moment?”

Steven shook his head. “Not at all.”

Luke placed Cole in the high chair that Curtis had given him. “I’ll be right back.” Luke headed back into the laundry room and tucked the blanket around D, securing it as he carried the smaller man upstairs.

Kicking D’s bedroom door open, Luke closed it behind him with his shoulder and then placed the small bundle on the bed. He knew it wasn’t safe for D to be out of his room during the day. He had black-out curtains in his bedroom, but the rest of the house was lit from the morning light.

Luke made sure the curtains were sufficiently closed before he crept out of the room. As he entered the kitchen, he froze. Luke didn’t see Cole or Steven anywhere. Panic began to set in as he snapped his head around, his eyes darting everywhere as he prayed no one had shimmered in and taken the two.

Walking briskly through the house, Luke found Steven and Cole napping on one of the beds upstairs. He hated feeling like he couldn’t even relax for a moment here. His guard was constantly up, and his nerves were so close to the surface that Luke just knew he was going to have a nervous breakdown before all of this was over.

He prayed it would be over because he couldn’t handle months or even years of this stress.

He sighed as he wandered back downstairs, wondering why Steven was so tired first thing in the morning. Some babysitter he turned out to be. Luke chuckled at the man. It wasn’t like he needed a sitter in the first place.

As long as Cole was safe, Luke was fine.

With nothing else to do, Luke grabbed a blanket from one of the couches and wrapped it around his shoulders as he ventured outside.

It was cold, bitterly so, but the crisp, cool air felt good as it entered his lungs. Luke spotted a barn and headed toward it. He’d never been inside a barn before. As he walked inside, he spotted Riley right away.

He had one of the horse’s legs up, doing something to its foot. “Hi.”

Riley looked over his shoulder, giving Luke a tight smile as he went back to his task. That smile felt colder than the temperature outside. Luke didn’t understand what he had done to the eldest son to deserve such a chilly reception, so he turned around and walked out of the barn.

He knew when he wasn’t welcome, and Riley’s eyes all but shouted for him to fuck off. Luke didn’t know where all that animosity was coming from. What had he done to the guy? Maybe it was because he had brought so much trouble to the ranch?

He didn’t mean to.

Hell, he had tried to walk away so Shanta wouldn’t bother these nice people. It was Malcolm who insisted he stay. Maybe Riley blamed him for that as well? Luke wasn’t sure what to think as he walked over to the wooden fence that housed a large number of horses.

He stared off into the distance as he thought about the rest of the Lakeland men. Did they resent him as well? The twins didn’t act like it. But Luke had learned that smiles could be faked and laughter didn’t always reach the eyes.

Some men kept their anger to themselves while secretly harboring ill feelings. Luke started to feel lost. The home he had thought to make for him and Cole suddenly seemed strange and foreign to him.

He didn’t like being somewhere he wasn’t wanted, but he knew if he tried to leave, Malcolm would only stop him.

So what was he to do?

“What are you doing out here?”

Luke looked to his left to see Malcolm riding toward him, looking even bigger and mightier sitting atop his horse. It seemed anything his bear did turned him on. The guy could be pulling potatoes from the ground and Luke would think his mate sexy as sin.

He pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders, giving his mate his best smile.

Even if he didn’t feel like smiling on the inside.

Malcolm could tell something was bothering Luke. His mate’s eyes seemed a bit misty as he faked his smile. He knew that everything was strange and new to his mate. It had to be hell to have to start over in a place that wasn’t familiar.

Malcolm had tried his best to make Luke feel as welcome as he could, but he knew only time would help ease his mate into his new life.

He reached his hand out to Luke. “Come on, let’s go for a ride.”

Luke’s eyes widened as he stood there looking up at Malcolm with his beautiful chocolate-brown eyes. “You want me to ride that large horse?”

He chuckled as he grabbed Luke’s hand and helped him up. Once Malcolm had Luke situated in front of him, he clicked his tongue for Lover Lost to start moving. “You warm?”

Luke nodded as he pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders. “With the blanket and your body heat, I’m toasty.”

Malcolm tightened his arms around Luke as he guided Lover Lost around the land he owned. It was a majestic sight, especially now with the blanket of snow covering the ground. Malcolm felt contentment settle deep inside of him with his mate sitting so close. It was a quiet and peaceful moment, an intimacy where words weren’t needed. He never thought he would find someone to share this kind of beauty with, and Luke seemed to be that perfect someone.

Lover Lost rode slowly, allowing Malcolm and Luke to take pleasure in their time alone. Their house was a busy one, so time alone together was rare. Malcolm rested his chin on Luke’s shoulder, sighing in contentment. His mate smelled wonderful, like the wild of the land. The only thing better than his smell was feeling Luke nestled in his arms. The man fit perfectly.

“Do you regret claiming me?” Luke asked in a whisper, his voice breaking the silence that Malcolm was enjoying so much.

Malcolm guided his horse around some boulders as he pondered Luke’s question. Why would he ask something like that? “No,” he answered honestly. “I’ve been alone for a very long time, Luke. I never thought I would even have a mate. You’re a blessing to an old soul.”

Luke glanced up at him, his brows pulled together. “You’re not old.”

Malcolm grinned down at his mate, kissing his rosy-red cheek. “You’d be surprised.”

Luke turned back around as he sighed. He pressed his back further into Malcolm, the feeling making Malcolm smile.

They rode on, but with the temperature so cold, Malcolm worried about his mate. Luke seemed content lying in his arms, not giving one complaint to the cold. He guided his horse through the meadow, appreciating the trees that looked like snow had covered every branch. But nothing would ever look as good as Luke looked right now cuddled up next to him.

“Are your sons mad because I’m your mate?” Luke asked after what felt like hours of peaceful silence.

Malcolm glanced down at his mate, wondering where he would get an idea like that. Had one of his boys said something to Luke? Was that why Luke was asking him these strange questions?

If one of his sons had said something rude to his mate, he was going to skin his hide.

“They’re gay. I don’t think you being a man factors into anything, Luke.” He wanted to ask his mate why the question, but he knew Luke wouldn’t tell him. He wasn’t the type to rat on anyone.

Luke fell silent, which made Malcolm think harder. He wanted to know which son had said something. A question like that didn’t just come out of the blue. Malcolm let it go for now, refusing to spoil the scenic view or his romantic ride with Luke.

“Look,” Malcolm said as he pointed to a twelve-point buck. The stag stood there watching them as Malcolm brought his horse to a stop. They stood there watching as the buck gave them one last look and then tromped away into the woods.

“It’s so beautiful here,” Luke commented. “Thank you.”

Malcolm had a feeling his mate was thanking him for more than just the ride. He kissed the side of his head as he headed back toward the house. His mate needed to get warm. Even with the blanket wrapped around him, he had to be getting cold.

“Are we going home?” Luke asked as he tilted his head back, staring up at Malcolm from under those dark lashes. If it weren’t so cold outside, Malcolm would take his mate somewhere private and show him just how much Luke affected his body.

“Yep,” he answered as he tapped Luke’s nose with the tip of his gloved finger. “It’s getting colder out, and I have to finish up.” And he needed to get his runaway libido back under control. His cock was pulsing in his jeans, ready to explore Luke’s tempting body.

Since his mate had shown up, Malcolm’s body stayed in a perpetual state of readiness. He was in a constant state of arousal around his elf. Just one look from Luke’s sultry brown eyes, and he was ready to fuck him for days.

He might be the oldest of the bears, but Malcolm was quite sure he could give his sons a run for their money. Malcolm stayed so hot around Luke that the snow should have been melting all around him and the air should have been as humid as the summer.

His jeans became tight, uncomfortable as they neared the house. He needed to get Luke away from him if he was ever going to finish his work.

“I’ll be back in time for supper.”

Luke looked like he wanted to pout until a snowball hit his mate’s leg. Malcolm growled as he glanced around, spotting Chauncey and Chance snickering from the side of the house.

“I think they’ve declared war,” Luke whispered. “Payback?”

Malcolm liked the way his mate had a gleam of mischievousness in his devilishly handsome brown eyes. “I like the way you think,” he whispered. And he did. Luke was going to fit in just fine.

Dismounting, Malcolm pulled Luke from the saddle and handed his horse over to Riley, who was standing there scowling for some odd reason. He would figure his eldest boy out later. He had twin cubs to torture.

Luke grabbed Malcolm’s hand, pulling him to the back of the house where they made at least six snowballs each. Luke draped the blanket over his arm, tucking the snowballs into the crook of it as they crept around to where the twins were hiding, building their own arsenal of the cold missiles.

“Now,” Malcolm whispered as he and Luke began their assault.

“Hey!” Chance shouted as he and Chauncey took off, tossing snowballs over their shoulders as they rounded the house.

Luke laughed as he hurled his, making Malcolm’s smile grow as wide as the sun. His mate was simply gorgeous when he was barraging the twins. His eyes seemed to sparkle like fine diamonds.

“We give,” Chauncey shouted as they ran up onto the porch.