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“What about Emily?” asked Mom. “How will she take the news that you’ve found someone else?”
“Well, since she’s happily married to Nathan, I’m hoping she’ll be okay with it,” Lucas said. “But depending on where I end up living, we may need to update our custody arrangement and visitation schedule.”
“You’re planning to move away?” Mom sounded unhappy.
“We haven’t made any real plans yet, but it’s definitely under discussion,” he replied.
“When can we meet Malia?” asked Dad. “Could we do it over video chat?”
Lucas sighed. But it was the right thing to do. “Okay, but here’s the deal. Since I’m currently undercover, you guys will have to be super-careful. No last names, and not a hint about me working for Fish and Game. At the moment, she and everyone else in Bearpaw Ridge think I’m a hunter with questionable judgment, who works as an apartment complex maintenance supervisor.” He laughed humorlessly. “Basically, I’m a less-pleasant version of Cousin Theo.”
“Malia doesn’t know who you really are?” Dad demanded. “Lucas, what the heck are youthinking?”
Lucas winced.
Before he could say anything, Dad continued in a stern tone, “I know you’re undercover, son, but that’s no excuse for lying to your mate.”
“Believe me, I don’twantto lie to her,” Lucas protested. “In fact, I’m trying to stick to the truth as much as possible. It’s just I can’t tell her everything until I’ve wrapped up my case here.”
“All right,” his dad said, after trading another one of those long glances with Mom. “We’ll play along for now. I only hope this doesn’t come back to bite you on the ass, son.”
Lucas let out a breath. “Thanks. I love you both, and I can’t wait for you to meet Malia. She’s really special, and I’m doing my best to try to make things right between us.”
* * *
After Lucas finished the video call with his parents, he pulled out his computer and caught up on his email and case notes for the next couple of hours.
He kept his government-issued laptop hidden at the bottom of his duffel bag, along with his Fish and Game badge, duty weapon, and the magnetic blue light for his truck.
Lucas normally stored these items in his truck, but he had decided it was too risky to leave them there when it was parked out at The Hair of the Dog all day.
As he typed steadily away, the stillness of his cabin pressed against Lucas’s eardrums. He’d enjoyed the deep quiet at first—it offered him the kind of peace and serenity he rarely got at home with two children under the age of seven.
Now, though, it suddenly felt lonely. Especially when he finished replying to the last of his email messages, and began getting ready for sleep.
As Lucas went through his evening routine of putting out his clothes, setting up the cabin’s coffeemaker for his first cup of the day, and brushing his teeth, the sight of the rumpled bedclothes bothered him.
He didn’t want to sleep alone tonight, dammit! And especially not in a bed that still smelled of sex and Malia.
But she didn’t ask me to spend the night,he told himself.Even though I gave her the chance to.
That had stung, but he couldn’t really blame her. They’d both been shaken up by their unexpected mating, and she’d all but fled back her own cabin afterwards to shower and think.
She needs her space. And you need to be a good mate and give her some breathing room.
It had been tough to watch her leave his cabin when every instinct screamed to keep her close. Hell, he would have loved to have shared that shower with her. All that hot water, and her naked, slippery curves…
Great. And now he was hard again. Lucas scowled down at his misbehaving cock, then set the alarm on his phone, turned off the bedside light, and got into bed wearing an old t-shirt and his briefs.
As he’d feared, the lingering scent of Malia tormented him. He shoved his hand down the front of his underwear, and took care of his bothersome hard-on with a few angry jerks of his fist.
It didn’t satisfy him. And it sure as hell didn’t relax him enough to drift off to sleep like it usually did.
An hour later, he was still tossing and turning, unable to find a comfortable position. Or to halt the nonstop recollections of everything that had happened on this very bed just a few hours ago.Dammit.
Why are you sleeping alone?his cougar demanded.Our mate is nearby. Go to her.
Shut up, cat, Lucas replied irritably as he rolled over.Haven’t you caused enough trouble today?
