Page 21 of Alpha Bear Accountant

Niam shook his head, clearly amused. “Fine, a whole lot. And yes, objectively, my job paid well, and I enjoyed it. And the view from my city window was beautiful—but not in the same way looking out your back window is.”

There was something magical about the woods that surrounded my property. I one thousand percent agreed with him on that.

“And as far as friends went… I’m not quite sure if they were friends as much as acquaintances. If they were really friends, we’d probably be talking more instead of just sending each other basic texts like, ‘Hope things are going well with your family.’ ‘Yep, they’re fine.’ Does that make sense?”

“It does.” I had work buddies like that too. “But also, I’d drop everything and go back there with you, if you want. I would. No questions asked.”

“Like you could sell your house in this condition.” I chuckled. It was such a relief to be able to joke around with him again. Seeing him this playful was a relief. The tears I saw in his eyes only minutes earlier nearly broke me.

“Hey, it’s got potential.” And a ton of half-finished projects.

“It does. And I say we work together to help it meet that potential.”

I loved the sound of that. “Does that mean you’re staying?”

His eyes were full of hope and vulnerability as he looked at me. “If you want me to.”

“I’d love nothing more.” I pulled him so his chest was flush with mine and held him close. “There’s nothing in this world that I’d like more than for you to build a home with me here.”

He sucked in a deep breath. “Does that mean you’re gonna mark me now?”

“Nope.” I nipped his bottom lip. “We’ve waited this long. I want to do it right.”

“There’s a wrong way to make me scream your name as I come undone while you sink your teeth into my flesh?”

Damn. He knew how to get me going and fast. My bear was pushing at me to do exactly as he said. “No, I mean do it right. As in, we get married first. All human-like.”

“I don’t need you to do all the human things just because I’m—well, you know, human.”

“Maybe not, but I want to.” I reached into my pocket, even though my mate nearly fell off my lap as I did. When I pulled out the ring I’d picked up the other day, his jaw dropped.

I hadn’t been planning to propose so soon. Marriage hadn’t even been something I’d thought would be part of my life. Bears mated and that was that. But when I walked by the jewelry store and saw it sitting there in the front window, I couldn’t leave it.

“Will you be my husband?”

He looked down at the ring and saw it was etched with bears on the side. It wasn’t overly romantic, but you wouldn’t know that by his reaction.

He threw his arms around me, and I ended up on my back with him on top of me as he peppered me with kisses. “It’s the mostromantic, wonderful, amazing, perfect ring I’ve ever seen.” His lips found mine, and he kissed me with a passion that left both of us hard and needy.

I chuckled at his enthusiasm, unable to resist teasing him. “Are you sure? We can exchange it if you want.”

“No way.” He nipped at my earlobe. My omega knew my weak spots, that was for sure. “You sure you don’t want to mark me right now?”

“Not now, no.” But fuck if my bear and I weren’t both tempted.

“But we could practice.”

I slid the ring onto his finger, then rolled us over so I was the one on top. “Now? Is it too cold here?”

“If I agree it’s too cold, does that mean we have to stop?” Playful Niam was out in full force. I loved it.

“No. Just means we leave our jackets on.”

“Jackets it is.”

16

NIAM

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