An Ember To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters 5) (14 page)

“No. You obviously love her, and she obviously loves you. And I’ll need help, learning how to take care of a small child. Besides, I meant what I said the other day, about trying to change. I want to learn to trust again, I know you think I’m just some crazy guy with emotions swinging back and forth out of control, but I want to do better. I want to
be
better.” Zach felt his heart pounding as Mindy looked over at him, and tears started filling her eyes.

“I thought I was going to lose her, right when she’d become a part of my life,” Mindy said. Now it was Mindy’s voice that was breaking. Zach looked over at Sophia, who had finished her cereal but was still engrossed in her Elmo cartoon. He didn’t want Sophia to see him or Mindy crying right now. The last thing he wanted to do was to upset the girl and agitate her inner bear. Zach reached across the huge space between him and Mindy on the couch, and grabbed Mindy’s hand.

“I’m not here to take her away from you. I’m here to do what’s best for her, and that includes keeping her with the woman she looks up to as mommy. But I think we should try to move her out to base. Everyone out there knows about shifters, and can help her learn to control her shifting in a safe environment. We can watch her while you’re at work, too, so she doesn’t have to be in a regular preschool until she has her bear under control. You’re welcome to come stay out there with her. We have plenty of room.”

“I can’t move her without getting approval from her caseworker,” Mindy said. “They have to approve locations, and I can already tell you they won’t approve a giant firefighter’s base. But…there’s a way around that.”

“Which is?”

“You claim your parental rights. Take a DNA test that proves you’re the father, and they’ll hand full custody over to you. You can take her wherever you want, then,” Mindy said, her voice breaking again. “But I lose my chance to adopt her.”

Zach squeezed Mindy’s hand again. “I promise, I’m not taking her away from you.”

Zach felt his own bear growing restless as he held Mindy’s hand in his. Now it made perfect sense to him that they were fated to be together. But he didn’t know if Mindy would ever be interested in him for anything other than being Sophia’s dad.

All he could think, though, as he looked over at her, was that he cared about Mindy more than ever after seeing everything she’d already done for Sophia. If Mindy would only give him a chance to love her, he knew the three of them could be a happy family together.

Given the way she’d rejected him last time he tried to date her, he had no idea if he was hoping for too much.

But he did notice that she didn’t pull her hand away as he gave it another squeeze.

A few hours later, Zach was sitting in Ian’s office as his alpha looked back at him in shock.

“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?” Ian asked, his eyes wide and disbelieving. Zach had just told Ian about Sophia, starting with the day Traci left him and ending with that very morning, when he’d met his daughter for the first time.

Zach shrugged. “I didn’t want to expose the clan. I was afraid our last vestiges of a peaceful life would be gone if Traci reported us to the authorities. After everything we’ve been through, I just couldn’t do that to the clan. And I knew if I told you about Sophia, then the whole clan would be foaming at the mouth to go after her, completely ignoring the fact that doing so would lead to their own demise. I was also afraid that if Traci found out we were looking for her before I could find her, she might harm the kid. It seemed like the best thing for everyone’s safety was to just keep the whole thing quiet.”

“You should have told us,” Ian said, his face softening. “I can’t believe you’ve been keeping this all inside for the last half-decade. No wonder you’ve become so bitter.”

Zach looked down at the ground. “I’m sorry about the way I’ve acted. I know it’s been awful. I just couldn’t stand the pain of not even knowing if my cub was alive.”

“You have to trust your clan, Zach. You have to trust me. I’m your best friend, remember? If someone’s hurt you, they’ve hurt me. We’re all in this together. Don’t ever feel like you have to be alone with anything that you’re going through. I hope you never find yourself in a situation as painful as this again. But, if you do, I want you to come to me. The clan can find a way to overcome threats of exposure. What you did to protect us is an admirable display of loyalty, but also a foolish display of trying to do everything on your own. Don’t shut us out like that again.”

Zach nodded. He tried, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, to blink away tears. So many emotions that he’d never even felt before flooded him.

“I’m sorry,” was all he could manage to get out.

Ian smiled kindly at him. “It’s okay, buddy. It’s in the past now. When do I get to meet your daughter?”

“Mindy’s bringing her over later this afternoon. She’s going to introduce her to the whole crew. We’re hoping that if Sophia stays here, she can get a lot of help with controlling her bear. She’s never had anyone to guide her with that, and it sounds like it’s starting to get out of control. Then I have to get a DNA test to prove she’s mine, and the state will award me custody of her.”

“What about Mindy?” Ian asked.

“She’s definitely going to stay in Sophia’s life. Sophia loves her, and I don’t want to separate them.”

“That’s great, but that’s not what I meant. I meant what about
you
and Mindy. Every time you say Mindy’s name, your face lights up like a Christmas tree. Are you going to admit that she’s your lifemate now, or what?”

Zach’s face fell. “I actually admitted it to myself before I even knew about Sophia. But when I tried to ask Mindy out, she made it clear that she had no interest in me. Basically, she said I was mean and emotionally unstable.”

“Well, maybe you should try again. I have a feeling that she might see a different side to you now that she knows your whole story.”

Zach shrugged. He didn’t want to get his hopes up. Besides, he had a lot of things to take care of with Sophia before worrying about his love life.

A sudden knock at Ian’s office door brought their conversation to an end.

“Daddy?” a little voice called from behind the door. “Are you in there?”

Zach smiled and went to open the door. Sophia stood there, dressed in an adorable light purple jumper, and holding tightly to Mindy’s hand.

“Come on in, sweetheart,” Zach said. “Come meet your Uncle Ian.”

* * *

The next few weeks were a blur of activity. Zach took a DNA test, and the court set a date to rule on his petition to establish paternity rights. On a warm day at the end of April, Zach walked into a courthouse wearing a suit that he had bought specifically for the occasion. Mindy walked next to him, holding Sophia’s hand. They sat in the courtroom, waiting for their turn to go before the judge, as several other family law cases were heard before theirs.

Zach glanced over at Mindy and saw that her face had gone completely pale. She still worried, he knew, that he was going to take Sophia away from her. But the truth was, just like he could no longer imagine his life without Sophia, he couldn’t imagine it without Mindy, either. The two of them had spent a lot of time together over the last few weeks, and Mindy never failed to make Zach laugh. She was a kind, fun-loving individual—exactly the kind of lifemate Zach wanted by his side. He kicked himself every day for ever thinking that a human couldn’t possibly be perfect for him.

Mindy was perfect. If only he could figure out a way to convince her of how deep his feelings for her ran.

The judge called Zach’s name, snapping him back to the present, and he walked up to the front of the courtroom holding Sophia’s hand. He waited patiently as the judge reviewed the petition and the proposed order to grant him paternity over Sophia. The DNA tests were attached, showing clearly that Zach had fathered Sophia.

After a few minutes, the judge banged his gavel a few times on his podium. “The petition is granted. So let it be ordered. And let me be the first to congratulate you, sir, on officially becoming a father in the eyes of the State of California.”

“Thank you, your honor,” Zach said.

Sophia stared up at the judge with wide eyes. As they were turning to leave, she glanced back over her shoulder at the judge and took in his black robe.

“I like your dress,” she said simply, and the whole courtroom erupted into laughter.

Zach grinned. He could hardly believe that such a sweet little girl was his. Although Sophia had called him Daddy from the first day she met him, it had taken a little longer for her to truly warm up to him. But after a few weeks of Zach doting on her, Sophia had become a total Daddy’s girl.

That evening, the Burning Claws Clan held a celebratory barbecue. Sophia bounced back and forth between the arms of all of her new aunts and uncles, her face glowing with the kind of innocent happiness that every little girl deserves.

Zach stood by the grill, flipping burgers and watching his daughter. His heart had never felt so full. After a few minutes, Mindy sidled up next to him.

“Big day for both of you, huh?” she said, taking a sip of her beer.

Zach smiled at her. “Yes. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done to help make this a reality. I could have never sorted through all that legal bullshit so quickly without your help.”

Mindy shrugged. “It was nothing. I don’t want Sophia caught up in a long, unnecessary legal process.”

Zach flipped the last of the burgers, and then looked over at Mindy. “It was more than just ‘nothing,’ and you know it. I want to thank you somehow. Can I take you to dinner tomorrow night? I’ve already asked Bailey to babysit, so I know you’re free.”

Mindy tilted her head sideways and gave Zach a mischievous grin.

“Is this a friends’ thing or a date?” she asked,

Zach grinned. “This time, it’s definitely a date.”

Mindy smiled and gave Zach a quick wink before walking back over to the group. “I’ll see you then,” she called over her shoulder.

The next evening, Mindy fidgeted in her seat as she waited for Zach to sign the receipt from their dinner. She tugged at the hem of her little black dress, and hoped that her makeup still looked okay after the meal. She and Zach had shared a lovely evening, and she couldn’t keep her heart from beating faster every time she looked over at him. He looked effortlessly handsome in his light blue checkered button down and relaxed fit jeans. She knew that, beneath that shirt, he had a perfect six-pack, too. The day he’d come to her door, shirtless and shoeless, looking for Sophia, she’d done a double take at the sight of him. And how could she forget how well-endowed he was? His drunken erection from the first night she’d met him had made that much clear.

Zach finished paying, and looked up at Mindy.

“Shall we?” he asked, starting to stand and offer her his hand. She nodded, and let him lead her back out to his truck. Her heart beat like a teenager in love at the feel of his hand on her hand. She’d been hoping all night that he would ask whether they could revisit his desire to date her, but he hadn’t said anything specifically. Their conversation had flowed easily, jumping topics from Sophia, to Zach’s job, to Mindy’s job, to places they might like to travel. Mindy kept hoping the conversation would turn to their relationship, but Zach seemed to be avoiding the subject.

Mindy felt ashamed of the way she had brushed him off at the pizzeria. She knew she couldn’t possibly have known all the details about why he acted the way he did, but still. She could have been more open to giving him a chance. Now, as she climbed into the passenger seat and watched him put the turn signal on to head back in the direction of base, where Sophia was likely in bed by now, Mindy decided to take matters into her own hands.

“Wait,” she said. “Turn the other way.”

Zach looked over at her, his eyes full of questions.

“Sophia’s sleeping, and Bailey is there for her if she needs anything. Let’s go back to my townhome and open a bottle of wine.”

Zach hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t want to put pressure on you, or make you feel like I was expecting anything more than a fun dinner with you tonight.”

Mindy almost rolled her eyes at Zach’s nervousness. “My place, now. That’s an order.”

Zach laughed. “Okay, okay. Yes ma’am.”

Mindy grinned as Zach turned to head toward her townhome. When they arrived, she unlocked the door and started to turn to ask Zach what kind of wine he wanted, but before she could get any words out he had slammed the front door behind them and covered her mouth with his. Mindy dropped her keys and purse on the floor and wrapped her arms around Zach, returning his kiss as he grabbed handfuls of her thick, red curls in his hands. Mindy stepped slowly backward toward the couch, pulling Zach down with her when she reached it. She could already feel his erection, stiff and throbbing against the confines of his jeans.

“Are you sure about this?” Zach asked. “I want you so badly, but I mean it when I say I don’t want to pressure you.”

“I’m sure. But let me make one thing clear: I care very deeply about you, and I’m not going to hurt you or treat your heart carelessly the way others have. If we’re going to be together, you have to promise to respect me and trust me. Don’t lash out at me because you’re afraid. If you ever feel like something’s bothering you, just tell me, okay?”

Zach nodded. “Okay,” he said, looking deep into Mindy’s eyes. Mindy felt herself melting into his deep, blue gaze.

“Okay, then. Now that we’ve got that settled, what are you waiting for? Kiss me, you fool.”

Zach grinned, and did as he was told. Mindy fell backward onto the couch, and Zach straddled her on top. Everything became a blur of cotton, denim, and lace. Zach pushed the skirt of Mindy’s dress up over her hips and then over her head, leaving her wearing just a lacy black bra that matched her lacy black panties.

Mindy could feel the moisture growing in her panties as her body begged for Zach to fill her. He continued kissing her, slipping his tongue deep into her mouth and tracing delicious circles around the roof of her mouth. His touch sent tingles through her body, and she moaned as he moved from kissing her mouth to kissing her neck. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been craving this until this moment, when he was satisfying that craving. She reached up and started unbuttoning his shirt. She wanted to see his amazing abs again.

After pushing his shirt off, she reached down and started unbuckling his belt, followed quickly by undoing the button on his jeans. He continued to kiss her neck the whole time, alternating between gentle kisses and rough nibbles. She moaned as he took a quick nibble at her ear as well. The tingling shock waves of pressure that he was sending through her body intensified. As she reached down to attempt to push his jeans down off his body, she could feel his erection begging to be set free.

In the process of trying to get his jeans off, they both accidentally rolled off the couch and onto the floor.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, are you okay?” Zach asked, pausing his kissing to check on Mindy.

Mindy giggled. “I’m fine. You can knock me off the couch any day if it’s because you’re trying to get your pants off.”

Zach growled and went after Mindy’s ear again, nibbling it fervently while reaching back behind Mindy’s back to unclasp her bra. She reached down to push his underwear off at the same time, and they became an awkward, wriggling mess of kissing and clothing.

Zach laughed as Mindy bent over further, trying to reach far enough to push off his briefs. “Do you want to get back on the couch?” he asked.

Mindy shook her head. “I’m quite comfortable right here. There’s something sexy about making love on the floor, anyway.”

The pair was sprawled out on a plush oriental rug, between Mindy’s couch and coffee table. Zach grinned and finished pulling off Mindy’s bra. He tossed it aside and moved his attention from her ears down to her full breasts. As he nibbled one nipple, and then the other, Mindy closed her eyes and drank in the sensation of being touched by a man who cared about her. It had been so long since she’d felt any kind of tenderness from a man, and she had begun to think that she was never going to find that kind of connection again.

Zach took his time. He drew circles around her erect nipples with his tongue, and then slid his hands down into the fabric of her panties as he continued tickling her breasts with his mouth. He used his index finger to massage her clitoris, causing Mindy to arch her back under the tantalizing tingling his finger built in her body. She moaned as he slid his finger fully into her, applying a firm pressure against her sex as he drew circles inside of her. Mindy tried to hold back, but she couldn’t stop the tsunami of ecstasy crashing over her. She gave in and let the waves of her orgasm overtake her, and her internal muscles clenched around Zach’s fingers as her nipples throbbed against the touch of his mouth.

She lay, panting and happy, as the aftershocks rushed through her. She suddenly became aware that she felt sweaty, and that her hair was likely a tangled mess of frizzy, fiery red curls. But this only seemed to turn Zach on more.

“You’re so sexy with your hair all wild like that. Like a lioness,” he said.

Mindy grinned happily, and Zach let out a low growl before reaching down and pulling off her panties, which were now soaking wet in the juices of her desire.

Zach moved his lips back to Mindy’s mouth, kissing her gently at first, then with a growing sense of urgency. His tongue once again danced against hers as he hovered his huge, steel rod of a dick over her dripping wet entrance.

Mindy felt a warmth spreading through her as Zach pressed the oozing tip of his penis against her, and then groaned as he slid into her in one smooth, impossibly passionate movement. He filled her completely, pressing into her and warming her from the inside. He paused for a moment, letting her feel the fullness of his erection inside of her, and then started sliding back and forth. He thrust into her, his hips moving rhythmically against hers as the fire in Mindy’s body grew. He moved from kissing her mouth to once again nibbling her ear lobe, and her whole body became a giant mass of tingling, hot pressure. She couldn’t believe it, but she was about to come again. She’d never had a man make her come twice in a row, but Zach was effortlessly bringing her to the edge of ecstasy once again.

Mindy squeezed her eyes shut and yelled out Zach’s name just as the second earthquake of passion rippled through her. The waves of delicious, tingling muscles spasms kept going, overtaking her whole body as Zach let out a roar of his own before finding his own release, stiffening for a moment and then shooting a hot stream into her.

After a few moments, he relaxed, and gently rolled over onto his back, pulling Mindy with him so that he never disconnected his body from hers. She lay on top of him as he sank his back into her rug, smiling and wrapping his arms around her. They lay there together for a long time, not speaking, until Zach’s erection subsided and he slowly, naturally slid out of Mindy.

He gave her a quick kiss on her sweaty, glowing face, and grinned at her.

“I believe I was promised a glass of wine, my dear,” he said.

Mindy grinned back and rolled off of him. She stood, and sauntered off to the kitchen, swaying her curvy, naked ass seductively as she did.

“Coming right up, my dear,” she said.

And he was her dear. It had been a strange journey to get there, but when she finally gave in to the deep desires she had for him, she realized that he was exactly what she’d been missing in her life.