A Cold Winter's Day 25 (18 page)

Luke spooned in front of Malcolm as he let out a content sigh. Malcolm lay there awake long after Luke had fallen asleep. He ran his hand over his mate’s silky hair, thankful for that cold winter’s day when he heard a baby crying.

It had brought him his mate, someone he wasn’t expecting but would never let go of now that he finally had him in his arms.

* * * *

Luke stood there laughing as Abe ran from Lover Lost. The elf had been there for a week now, but he was still scared of the horses. How was he going to work a ranch if he jumped every time a cow mooed?

“He’ll get the hang of it,” Malcolm said as he wrapped his arms around Luke.

“I sure hope so. We have enough mates doing housework. If he doesn’t learn to get along with the animals, I’m not sure what we could give him to do.” Luke liked having Abe around. The man was funny as hell and nice to be around, even if he was terrified of the animals. “He’s just not used to being around them.”

Malcolm grinned as he pulled Luke toward his truck. He knew that look. Malcolm was up to something.

“Now it’s your turn to learn something new.”

Luke tried to dig his feet in, but Malcolm was too strong, pulling him along as he pushed Luke into the driver’s seat. “This isn’t one of your better ideas,” he squeaked as his mate climbed into the passenger’s side.

“I taught seven boys how to drive. I think I know what I’m doing.”

Luke sure hoped so.

He sat there and listened as his mate taught him what was what. “Now put your seat belt on and turn the key.”

Luke followed the instructions, jumping when the truck came to life. He was scared out of his mind, but was determined to learn how to drive.

How hard could it be?

Really?

“Now press on the brakes as you shift it into drive.”

Okay, he could do this. The truck was huge, but it was just a truck. He had seen other people drive with ease, and Luke wanted the same. He smashed the brake down as he pushed the gear into drive. His foot trembled on the brake, but he wasn’t going to move until Malcolm told him to.

“Now ease your foot off of the brake.”

Luke let his foot go, his eyes wide as the truck began to move forward. He slammed his foot down, panic gripping him as he tried to stop the truck.

Unfortunately he pushed the gas pedal instead.

“Brakes, Luke, brakes,” Malcolm shouted as Luke tried his best to steer the truck. He was panicking, forgetting which was the brake as he barreled toward the barn. Luke saw Riley shout as he grabbed Lover Lost and took off, Abe running close behind him.

This was bad.

Really bad.

Right before he hit the barn, Malcolm pushed his leg past Luke and smashed it into the brakes, stopping the truck within inches of the building. “Get out.”

Luke swallowed as he turned the key, cutting the motor.

“You have to put it in park first, Luke,” Malcolm said calmly, but Luke could see his mate’s jaw ticking. He tried to push the gear into park, but it wouldn’t let him.

“Get out.”

Luke jumped from the driver’s seat, slamming the truck door as he glared back at his mate. It wasn’t his fault he sucked at driving. He’d rather shimmer where he needed to go. It was a lot safer.

And less of a headache.

And Luke didn’t nearly destroy buildings.

“You suck.” Chauncey laughed as he stood on the porch, grinning from ear to ear. “Can you drive me into town?” He hooted with laughter.

Luke flipped him off as he headed back toward the house. He stomped into the living room, plopping down on the couch with his arms over his chest. It had looked so damn easy. Why had the truck grown a mind of its own and taken off?

“You’ll get it,” Malcolm said as he walked through the door. “I’ll just have Chauncey teach you. My heart can’t take another round of you almost getting hurt.”

Luke didn’t want to hear it. Malcolm had yelled at him, and he wasn’t going to be easily swayed. It was his first time. His bear should have had more patience with him.

“You gonna stay mad at me?” Malcolm asked as he dropped down next to Luke.

“Maybe.”

Luke glanced at his mate, seeing Malcolm’s soft grey eyes filled with laughter. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t stay mad at his mate. His papa bear was everything to him, and he wasn’t going to let his driving lesson take that away.

“You better be lucky I love you so much.” And he did, with every fiber in him. Malcolm was everything Luke could hope for in a mate and so much more. He chuckled when Malcolm pulled him onto his lap, laying kisses all over his face.

The man had a way of making Luke feel like the center of his world.

* * * *

D sat on the side of his bed, his chin resting in the palms of his hands as his elbows rested on his knees.

His plan to chain himself to Sloane’s bed hadn’t quite worked out the way he had planned. The wolf had him free and out of his room in two seconds flat.

Once he explained to his brothers that he wouldn’t be mated to a wolf and that he was going back to the Lakelands, they left, not too happy with him, but finally leaving him be.

Carter shimmered him back here, to his lonely and cold room.

D heaved a heavy sigh as he thought about his strong and handsome mate. He wasn’t giving up. He wanted to be mated to the wolf.

And not even Sloane was going to stand in his way.

THE END

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