Page 46 of Bear Creek Father's Day
They played together near one of the ramps where the water wasn’t quite as deep and the bubbles wouldn’t carry them away. Meanwhile, Orrin had trapped Zak against the side of the pool, licking any skin he could reach until he got bopped on the nose. Orrin growled but relented, and Zak had him purring in no time by caressing his thick fur under the water. Before long, the Cunninghams wandered over to see what was going on, and Zak waved them in.
“Join us—there’s plenty of room.”
Gruff ambled down the ramp, followed by Zuzu and Dustin. When Zuzu reached the roiling water, she attempted to scentit. The popping bubbles tickled her sensitive nose, resulting in a series of mighty sneezes. Now irritated, she batted at the bubbles like a cat playing with mice. Obviously, she’d learned some things from Baxter and decided that if it worked for him it was good enough for her. Zuzu eventually gave up and began wrestling with Kip.
With a pleased groan, Gruff dipped and bobbed in the effervescent water, enjoying the odd sensation. Dustin waded in and joined Zak, both positioned where they could watch the kids, and started a conversation.
“This place is fantastic! Dash told me there’s nothing else like it in Pennsylvania, and the resort is supposed to receive an award next month for ‘Best Shifter Accommodations’ in the state.”
Zak wasn’t surprised.
“I believe it. He really went all out here, and I haven’t even seen everything. Say, how are you and Zuzu getting along?”
Dustin’s expression softened and a smile appeared.
“It was love at first sight. Gruff and I have turned in the official paperwork to adopt her, and we can’t wait to have Zuzu at home full-time. Next week, we’re taking her to pick out bedroom furniture. Everything happened kind of fast, but when you know, you know. Eventually, we’d like to adopt a few more and have a houseful.”
Zak was impressed that someone so young and recently mated could be that confident about his future. Actually, Orrin’s plans to form a family, with or without a mate, were eerily similar and left him feeling uneasy. Would Orrin move on without him while Zak vacillated and questioned everything? Was there a point of no return?
Zak’s ambivalent scent brought a growly Orrin to his side, madly sniffing the air. He shifted and wrapped his arms around the man—nakedness disguised by the frothy, waist-high water.
“What is it? Talk to me.”
Zak kissed him, stalling for time.
“I… I was just thinking about some things, and… sorry. You know that I love you, right? You, and Kip, and Rayn? You mean everything to me.”
Having overheard his brief conversation with Dustin, Orrin had a good idea what was going through Zak’s mind.
“I know, and we’re not going anywhere because we feel the same way about you. When the time is right, we’ll make it official, but I won’t pressure you.”
Relieved and grateful, Zak kissed Orrin again. He’d have considered more, but he suddenly found Rayn patting his thigh while a growly Kip paddled around them.
“You okay, Papa?”
While Orrin picked up the cub, Zak lifted Rayn into his arms.
“Yes, little one. Papa Zak is more than okay.”
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Later, at the lake
What began as a joke about who could swim the fastest, had now become The Great Race. Tasha was designated as judge, and after shifting and putting on their swimsuits, the little ones became the cheering section. Dustin, Levi, Aiden, and Zak all swam out about thirty feet, spacing themselves out in a straight line, facing the shore. While they tread water, Gruff, Knox, Dash,and Orrin, all in bear form, waited on the beach for the signal to begin. Tasha explained the rules.
“All right, guys, your job is to swim out there, pick up your man, and return to shore. If he falls off, or you interfere with another team, you’re disqualified. Got it?”
Heads nodded on land and in the water, and the bears lined up for a straight shot toward their targets. Tasha gave the final word.
“Ready? Set? Go!”
Moving fast, each of the bears ran until they were buoyant and started swimming. Knox had the most experience, but all bears were good swimmers and these four were motivated to get their mate/boyfriend and win the race. The men were cheering them on as they approached, while the cubs hollered, waved, and clapped from behind. Knox reached Levi first, but it took him too long to get on board and the initial lead evaporated. Gruff managed to pick up Dustin, but turned too fast and tossed his passenger overboard.
Learning from the others, Aiden and Zak turned around in the water, spread their legs, and let their ride dive under, pick them up, and turn around for the return trip. Knox had a slight lead, pulling ahead of Orrin and leaving Dash in third place. Wanting his lover to win, Zak leaned forward to provide more motivation.
“If you win, my ass is yours!”
Orrin had been waiting to top Zak and pulled out all the stops. He quickly gained on Knox, paddling his legs furiously to maintain an even pace with him and Levi as they neared the shallow water. Levi, however, wasn’t prepared for the transition from water to land, and when Knox’s paws hit lake bottom, Levilost his balance and fell off. Zak simply held on for dear life, and the pair hit the beach amid triumphant cheers. Kip and Rayn got to them first, jumping for joy and giving their papas hugs and kisses.
