Bearly Healed: Pacific Northwest Bears: (Shifter Romance) (14 page)

T
he door slammed
open against the wall. “What is everyone okay? Are you having contractions? Cassie okay?” Dax said, his eyes darting around the room frantically. He was to the bed and running his hands over his mate like he was checking for injuries.

“Fine, just needed to use the restroom. Pull me up,” Effie said with a smile.

“Damn it, woman, don’t scare me like that,” Dax growled.

“Hah, made you growl,” Effie said, trying to push herself up from the bed. Dax half lifted half pulled her to her feet. He waited until she got her balance.

“Wonder if that would work for me?” Cassie mused.

Effie turned and gave her a wink. “Give it a try,” she taunted.

Taking a deep breath she let out a horrible screech, “CASH!”

The pounding footsteps had her laughing before he hit the door. “What’s wrong? You hurt?” He was doing the same room scan looking for intruders and fires.

“Just practicing my shifter call,” she told him happily.

“Woman,” he growled.

The growl made both women burst into laughter.

“I’m waddling to the bathroom. Cass, you joining us out in the living room?” Effie asked.

“Yeah, give me a few,” she said to her friend giving her a knowing look. She got a wink and a nod back. Dax kept a hand on his wife as he helped her through the door. He softly closed it behind them.

Cash came to the bed and lay down next to her, taking the spot that Effie had been in. “How was your nap? You really feeling okay? Nothing hurts?”

“Nope, fit as a fiddle. My leg is feeling better in the splint. I can move it more, so it’s not as stiff,” she said.

“Good, I’m glad. How was your talk with Effie?” he asked, brushing her hair back from her face.

“Hmm, enlightening,” Cassie offered.

“Really? In a good way or a bad way?” Cash was hoping that Dax was right, and Effie would steer her towards him.

“Good, she gave me some things to think about,” she hedged.

“Like what?” he pushed.

Cassie wasn’t sure how to say yes to someone. She’d always been a “no” person. It was new territory for her. She thought about him telling her to yield. Maybe it was the answer. Just bend a little and let it happen.

“She told me you wanted me to be happy more than anything,” she said quietly.

“True. What else?”

“That you’d never resent me,” she added.

“True, I can’t imagine that emotion ever coming up,” he said.

“She said that I could have a whole family that would accept me and care about me. I never had that. I don’t even know what that means,” she admitted.

“Well, I’ve talked to my mom, and we can slowly introduce you to the family. She agrees you don’t need to be bombarded by Rochons right now,” Cash informed her.

“I appreciate that,” she murmured.

“What else?”

“She said I should give you a shot,” she threw out.

Cash took that in waiting to see if she agreed with her friend.

“You gonna give me that shot, Sprite?”

“I can try. I can’t promise, Cash. I don’t know how to do this. I’ve never relied on anyone before. I need you to be patient with me. And you need to tell me if at any point you don’t like something I’m doing. I don’t understand the rules, so you need to tell me if there is something I should or shouldn’t be doing,” she told him. She was so worried that she’d let him in and then it would fall apart because of her.

“Well, there is one rule. Don’t tell anyone about shifters. That’s it. As far as me and you, there are no rules. We have open communication. You can tell me anything, ask me anything. No question is not allowed; no question inappropriate. I’ll tell you if there is something you need to know. I need you to tell me if you want or need anything. I’ll try to guess, and I’ll bet I’ll get pretty good at it soon, but until then don’t hesitate,” he said to her.

Cash wanted to hand her the moon, but he didn’t want to scare her away either.

“So, if I’m staying here for the foreseeable future, I’m going to need to see Effie a lot,” she warned him.

“I figured that. If Dax can’t send the plane, we can drive. It would only take about four hours to get there. Or if you are in a big hurry we can charter a plane,” Cash offered like it was so easy.

“Huh, chartering a plane. How much money do you have?” Cassie asked. He said there was nothing she couldn’t ask.

“In liquid assets or the whole kit and caboodle?”

“Did you just say kit and caboodle? Who says that? I mean really,” she scolded.

“Sprite,” he growled.

Effie was right; making them growl was fun.

“Everything, net worth mister.”

“Depending on the market, somewhere between eight and nine million give or take. I don’t really know, and don’t really care,” he said honestly.

Cassie looked at him; her mouth dropped open. She knew that Dax had money but had never been brave enough to ask.

“Seriously?” she gasped.

“Been alive for a while. Run a successful business, invested wisely, don’t live very big. It just kind of builds up after a while,” he said with a shrug.

“Huh,” she said. “Well, in case you’re interested, my net worth is in the one hundred seventy-five dollar range. That’s all liquid assets too,” she added.

“Well, that means you now have eight-ish million, one hundred seventy-five dollars,” Cash said with a laugh.

“Yeah, right. I’m a millionaire,” she scoffed.

“Want to make it legal? We can get married, and half of everything will be yours. Hell, I’ll sign it all over to you if it makes you more comfortable,” he offered.

Cassie knew she was dreaming then. Nobody treated money that casually. “You’re nuts,” she whispered.

“Nope, you are way more valuable than money. I can always make more. There is only one Cassie,” he said. Cash had been patient, but she looked so cute laying with her head on the pillow, her little forehead crinkled in worry.

He let his lips brush over hers in a feather light kiss. He felt her gasp and stroked his tongue out over her lips.

When she didn’t pull away, he advanced deepening the kiss. He wanted her to know he was handing her everything he was. His money, his body, his love. None of it mattered without her.

“Be mine, Sprite,” he whispered against her mouth.

“M’kay,” she said back against his mouth. Damn, he made her addle-brained.

“Okay?” He checked to make sure.

“I’ll try,” she whispered back.

“I’ll take it,” he said with a low rumble. He kissed her again, his mouth sealing over hers. It made her toes curl. He was really good at that.

Pulling back he looked at her pretty flushed face. “Ready to join the living?”

“Sure, I’ll play nice tonight. I’m hungry anyway. My secret squirrel stash is running low,” she admitted.

“Hopefully, you’ll agree to move into my house soon, and I’ll put a mini fridge by the couch if you want,” he said. He totally wasn’t joking.

“Sawheet!” Cassie said with a laugh.

Cash smiled back at her. Thanks to Effie, his mate was smiling and saying maybe. It was a step in the right direction.

Standing up, he leaned over and scooped her off the bed, reveling in the fact that her arms slid around his neck and held him tight.

“Bathroom,” she said quietly to him.

“On it,” he responded.

H
e took
her to the restroom and did his normal routine of waiting outside. This time when she was done, he heard a quiet, “Cash?”

His heart swelled that she was expecting him to be able to hear her. That she knew he was waiting for her call. It thrilled him that she knew she could rely on him even for something so small.

He brought her into the living room and deposited her on the couch next to Effie. Who was currently splayed out with all the throw pillows behind her back and her feet up on the table. Dax was sitting on the coffee table with one of her feet in his lap rubbing it.

Cassie took up a position of lying down on the couch and attempted to put her head on Effie’s lap. The belly that seemed to have doubled in size in the last week made it difficult.

“Dude, move over,” Cassie said, giving Effie’s belly a gentle push.

“Stop bossing around the unborn,” Dax said continuing his foot massage.

“He started it,” Cassie groused, finding a little bit of thigh to rest her head on. Effie’s hand came down and started brushing through her hair. She loved when Effie played with her hair. She imagined it was something a mom would do. Not that her mom ever even remembered to brush the knots out of her hair before school.

“We don’t know if it’s a boy or girl. You’ll give it issues calling it the wrong gender,” Effie said.

“Better than calling it, it,” Cassie surmised.

Cassie felt the best she had in a long while. She didn’t think it could get any better until Cash picked up her feet gently and sat down. He watched her to see if she was uncomfortable sitting that way. She just gave him a lazy look.

Cash smiled and started rubbing her toes that were sticking out from her splint. He spread her toes, stretching them from the cramped position they had been in for so long in her cast. He talked to Dax about business stuff for a while. Cassie was sort of listening. Connie was in the kitchen as usual. She brought everyone iced tea. The really sugary kind; it was delicious.

“You thought of any names?” Cassie asked, being lulled into a stupor having her feet rubbed along with her head.

“Hmm, Dax likes Charles for a boy,” Effie said.

“Eww, Chuckie,” Cassie said giving Dax a look.

“It would be Charles, imp,” Dax corrected.

“I like Trixie for a girl,” Effie said. Cassie watched Dax roll his eyes.

“Barnaby has a nice ring to it,” Cassie offered.

“Sprite, that’s what you name a cat,” Cash added.

“Still, could call him Barney,” Cassie suggested. She liked weird names. She’d always thought if she had a daughter, she’d name her Winifred, so she could call her Fred. Not that she really ever thought about kids. She figured she’d graduate to a goldfish or something someday.

“What name do you like for a girl?” Cash asked her. He was interested if she’d ever given any thought to baby names. He certainly had. He had a list hidden in his desk drawer at home.

“Girls are harder than boys. Can’t give her too awesome a name, or she’ll sound like a stripper. But then you go too classic and she comes off as uptight. I think it’s a little dude in there,” she said giving the belly a poke.

“But if it’s a girl, it would have to be kicking like Effie. Trixie is good, so is Sloane, or Simone, S names always work,” Cassie said thoughtfully. She wasn’t going to give up Winifred; that one was hers.

Cash leaned over to her ear and said, “Tell me later.”

Damn the man, how could he read her so well? She gave him a look that said she doubted that would be happening. He just smiled back.

Connie came over then. “Do you mind if the kids come over? They’ve been dying to meet you. And they’ve all heard Dax and Effie are here. It would be impossible to keep them away,” she explained.

“Of course, I’m sorry I’ve been making things difficult. I guess the cat’s out of the bag, huh Dax?” Cassie smarted.

Dax gave her a growl that had Effie and Cass laughing. Wow, that was too easy.

When Connie smiled at her consent, she went back to the kitchen and started making phone calls. Cash leaned over close to Cassie’s ear and said, “Proud of you.”

Cassie looked into his eyes. Fuck her, he was. He was proud of her; she could see it shining back at her from his eyes. She even saw a little shine around the edges. His bear must be proud of her too. Fucking hell. Cassie didn’t think she could remember a time when someone was proud of her. No one had ever thought she was anything, but this man, he was proud she wanted to be part of their world. How the hell would he look at her if she ever really accomplished something? The thought made her heart skip a beat.

Then she felt the tears start to well in her eyes as he continued to look at her with that proud fucking look. Cash spotted it and moved to fix it fast.

“I think we have a few before the gang arrives. I’m going to take Cassie for a quick nap. I’m sure Effie wouldn’t mind one before the guys and their horde of little hellions arrive,” Cash said, standing and leaning over to pick up his mate.

“Oh, can I have a nap?” Effie cooed like it was the best fucking thing since sliced bread. Cassie looked down and saw even though they had just been lounging on the couch, she look wiped.

“Run, run while you still can,” Cassie said dramatically. That got a smile from her friend.

“Come on then. Let’s get you comfy,” Dax said, helping Effie off the couch. He leaned down like he was going to pick her up, and she started slapping at his hands.

“Ugh, no, belly is too big. It’s not comfortable.” She continued batting at him. Dax conceded and wrapped an arm around her waist and started moving her to the bedroom down the hallway.

“See you in a bit,” Cassie called out over Cash’s shoulder.

“Later,” Effie said, throwing up a pair of devil horns.

Cash walked into Cassie’s room and kicked the door shut. Putting her on the bed, he went to the window and drew the curtains, The lace was thick enough that it put a shadow over the room but still filtered some light in.

Without a word, Cash started removing the braces that were on her legs and very gently started going through her exercises. Cassie was trying to think of something to say, but a little voice in her head said she didn’t need to say anything. Cash was doing his thing. Well, actually he was doing the exercises for her. It didn’t need commentary. Cassie had always been the talker. It was what kept people at a distance so they couldn’t see the real her.

Now, she had a deep understanding that Cash knew her. Really did. It was an overwhelming and terrifying thought. At the same time, it felt good. Like she was protected but still able to be herself. She watched him as he worked through the motions. His eyes going from her legs to her face, gauging if she was in pain.

It didn’t hurt. Her knee and ankle were stiff but didn’t hurt. She had to wonder if some of her pain was manufactured from her level of stress and depression. A busted ankle hurt. But a healing ankle that was never moved hurt too.

Finishing the movements that kept her joints lubricated and her tendons loose, Cash left her braces off and slid into the bed next to her.

“You did good, baby,” he said, wrapping his big body around hers.

“Uh, I just laid here,” she reminded him.

“You did everything,” he returned.

Cassie didn’t understand that statement, so she changed subjects. “Why did you look at me like that on the couch when I said the family could come over?”

“Because in the space of about twenty-four hours, you have managed to rejoin the world. I’m fucking proud of you, Sprite. It’s brave as hell, and you did that all on your own.”

Cassie thought about that. He was so very wrong. Cash was the strength behind her decisions. It was like her soul knew he had her back. No matter what. She wasn’t sure how that knowledge got there, but it was burning inside of her bright and true. This man wouldn’t let her down like so many others had.

“Not on my own,” she whispered.

“Who else stepped back into the land of the living?” he asked. He was still watching her with those intent eyes that didn’t miss anything.

“You’d never let me fall, would you?” she asked, her eyes locked onto his, searching for the answer before he spoke.

Cash could hear the question in her voice but also the thread of hope that was searching for him to agree. She still didn’t get it, but she would. Every damn day he’d figure out how to show her that she was the only one for him, and she never had to be alone again.

Bringing a hand up to her face, he cupped her cheek. Her face was so small in his hand. His thumb brushed over the apple of her cheek as he saw her eyes still searching.

“Sprite, your world changed the moment I saw you. My bear recognized you as our mate. I would die without you in my world. Every breath you take is like a gift to me. Every time you succeed in something, I’m going to throw a fucking party. Every challenge you face, I will always, always have your back. When I first met you and told you to yield, it wasn’t an order, it was a request. You choosing to let me take care of you is a fucking honor and privilege that I would never not cherish. You won’t fall. I won’t let you. I’d take on the entire world for you.”