Chapter 10
Absently, Zak wondered how long he could hold his breath.
It was the only way, after all, to shut out the alluring and distracting scent coming from Orrin.
Not just his natural aroma, but the added fragrance of arousal and desire—a sweet and savory mix that silently drove him wild.
If the children were aware of it, they probably didn’t understand what the heady bouquet meant at this age; a definite advantage given that they would be together all evening.
Zak assumed that his response to Orrin’s scent created an equally intoxicating musk—torturing the handsome shifter as they both pretended to ignore the olfactory connection.
Actually, he was having a wonderful time interacting with Rayn and the cubs, and the delicious meal was a definite bonus.
His years of training had left him isolated, goal-driven, and socially rusty, so it felt good to simply be Zak for a while and not the doctor.
For dessert, Orrin filled a large tray with the cookies, cupcakes, donut sticks, and sweetbreads Zak had brought with him.
Though he’d intended to purchase enough for an army, he forgot how much seven little ones could eat, besides two adults.
Orrin made sure they shared the bounty so that each of the children got a taste of everything on the platter.
Orrin chose to eat a single cookie, leaving everything else for the kids and his guest, and Zak noticed.
That simple demonstration of selflessness gave him an even higher opinion of the man.
Orrin Crosby wasn’t just a pretty face, but a principled man of character who walked the talk.
Men like him, human or shifter, were few and far between, and Zak privately acknowledged that he had a tendency to paint every shifter with the same (negative) brush.
If he expected the townspeople to accept him without prejudice, and so far they had, wasn’t he obligated to do the same?
Once the meal was over, everyone helped clear the table and clean up, though Zak volunteered to do Rayn’s part of the work.
“You need to rest your leg, sweetie. This won’t take long, and I’ll be right back.”
The kitchen was a beehive of noisy activity, and Orrin appreciated his help as they rinsed and stacked dishes for later washing and stored leftovers in the fridge.
Apparently, Kip knew what it was all about, directing his housemates on where things belonged.
At one point, the two men both turned at the same time and ended up pressed together from chest to thighs, wide-eyed and hearts pounding.
Orrin whimpered while Zak mouthed unintelligible words as they briefly froze in place.
If the children noticed, they didn’t say anything, and the awkward moment passed with both men blushing before they parted and got back to work.
Orrin relished the warmth of Zak’s solid, muscular body, his remarkable scent, and the impressive boner that had nestled alongside of his own.
Zak was so flustered that he still wasn’t certain his vocal cords were working.
Orrin’s slimmer frame felt like it was designed just for him, and he’d fought the urge to pull him in by his long hair and ravish those deep pink lips with raw kisses.
Zak made his escape as soon as he could, retreating to the dining room where all the children were waiting for him and Orrin. The man in question appeared shortly, carrying the wrapped gift Zak had brought with him.
“Would you like me to open it, or should we save it for another time?”
Zak shook his head and took it from Orrin.
“The gift is for everyone, but Dustin thought Zuzu might like to open it. He told me that he and Gruff are eager to see her tomorrow.”
The curly-headed sparkler’s eyes widened to saucers, and she placed the rectangular box on the table before deftly removing the wrapping paper.
“Oohhh…it’s a BAXTER game!”
The children were all jumping and shouting, as they’d seen the game at the Red Barn and knew who Baxter was. Amid the ruckus, Orrin interjected his thoughts.
“Thank you! I’ve wanted to buy this for the cubs, but… well, never mind.”
Orrin was so grateful that he automatically reached for Zak, pulling him in for a kiss.
Surprised, but pleased, Zak responded in kind, burly arms wrapped around Orrin’s slimmer frame.
While the others caused a commotion, two pairs of little hands patted at their hips and the men parted to find Kip and Rayn smiling up at them.
They each picked up a child, and Rayn shared her thoughts with Zak in a quiet voice.
“You kissed him! When you get married, can I be the flower girl?”
Orrin quirked an eyebrow at Zak, who once again blushed. Instead of answering, the kids both got smooches on the cheek, and the four of them turned to the rest of the cubs so Orrin could make an announcement.
“All right, everybody quiet down. What do you say to Zak?”
They all shouted their thanks and then asked if they could play the game. Orrin deferred.
“Tell you what, let’s give Zak a tour of the house first, and then we’ll come back here and play ‘Where’s Baxter?’ for a while.”
The plan seemed to satisfy everyone, and they made their way through the downstairs first, before showing Zak their big bedroom on the second floor.
While Rayn remained in Zak’s arms, he dutifully noted their stuffed animals, trinkets, and books while they all talked at once.
Orrin took the opportunity to stay close, resting a warm, possessive palm on Zak’s broad lower back as he held Kip’s hand on the other side.
An overwhelming feeling of rightness caused Orrin to break out in goosebumps—his bear repeating the mantra of ‘ ours’ , over and over in his mind.
He had no idea what Zak was thinking, but Orrin hoped he could somehow picture this as their future.
The man had no bear to guide him, but it was clear that his sense of smell was strong enough to detect the basics of lust and attraction.
Plus Orrin knew far more about what Zak was feeling than anything the reluctant man had revealed thus far with words.
Nevertheless, this tentative connection was too important to rush and end up scaring the man away.
When the cavalcade returned to the dining room, Orrin opened the game and helped the children learn how to play.
Even now, Rayn and Kip sat on the men’s laps, though they’d switched places so that Rayn was with Orrin and Kip with Zak.
Zuzu had enough energy for the entire group, and they played a couple of rounds before Orrin sent them upstairs to get their jammies on and report to the living room for story time—to be read by their guest tonight.
As soon as they’d all disappeared, Orrin pulled Zak in for a blistering kiss—one that he enthusiastically returned. They couldn’t hold it for long, however, and Orrin had something to say while they were alone. He spoke as they made their way to the living room.
“We’ve got about thirty seconds, so I’ll make this quick. All I ask is that you give us a chance. My bear and I both want you, but Rayn and Kip are part of the deal. If you don’t want us, then say so now.”
Zak wasn’t shocked by Orrin’s words, but the swiftness of whatever this was between them frightened him.
Shifters were able to move quickly when they found a mate, and presumably, Orrin and his bear considered Zak a likely candidate.
With the sound of little feet coming down the steps, he gave Orrin an answer.
“I can’t promise forever right now, but I’d like to see where our relationship goes. I just need more time.”
Orrin’s face lit up like the sun.
“I can work with that. My day off is tomorrow and I want to see you.”
Zak nodded as the room flooded with little ones, all eager to hear their bedtime story and spend more time with their visitor.
They settled on the floor as usual, backs to the warm fireplace, as Orrin handed a library book to Zak.
While the kids always listened, they were particularly curious to see how Zak would read the story.
Was he fast or slow? Would he use voices? Did he know what the book was about?
They needn’t have worried, as Zak pulled out all the stops to bring the chapter to life for them.
They couldn’t have known that his parents had read this very same series to him as a child, and he thoroughly enjoyed revisiting the world and characters after so many years had passed.
He stumbled a time or two, but the children didn’t seem to notice or care.
Lost in the tale, time passed too quickly, and before they knew it, the chapter was over.
The kids knew better than to ask for another, but it was clear they would have stayed up all night listening to the man read.
At Orrin’s invitation, Zak accompanied them upstairs to get them settled for bed.
They scattered to use the bathroom and brush their teeth, with instructions to reconvene in the large room filled with bunk beds.
To be on the safe side, Zak checked Rayn’s leg and pronounced that the wound was healing very nicely.
By the time the others returned, he’d applied a fresh bandage and strapped on the brace.
She wrapped her little arms around his neck for a grateful squeeze, and Zak gently rubbed her back as she rested against him.
Since this was a group sleep night, Orrin brought out Rayn’s sleeping bag and grabbed the pillow from her bed while the others stripped and shifted.
Zak wondered what the girl would think, but she appeared to be content sleeping on the floor, surrounded by bear cubs.
It was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen, and he followed Orrin’s lead to pet each of the little ones and scratch their ears.
When he got to Rayn, Zak leaned down to kiss her forehead and wish her pleasant dreams. She thanked him for visiting and asked a question.
“Will I see you again?”
He gave her a reassuring smile.
“Of course, sweetheart. I can’t be here every day, but I’ll visit as often as I can. Meanwhile, you have Tasha, Orrin, and Kip to watch over you, and soon I’ll see you at the clinic to check your leg again.”
Apparently, that was what Rayn needed to hear, and she snuggled into her sleeping bag with Kip curled up by her side.
It had been an eventful night, and it didn’t take long for the entire lot to fall asleep.
Orrin waited to make sure they were settled before crooking a finger at Zak and pointing towards the stairs.
They quietly left the room together, making their way to the front hallway, where Zak collected his coat.
Orrin embraced him—deeply scenting the man while purring with contentment.
“I can’t thank you enough for coming tonight. The little ones had a wonderful time, and so did I. It meant the most to Rayn, and I can tell she feels safe with you.”
Zak’s confused feelings almost got the better of him, and he reached out to cup Orrin’s bearded face with both hands—thumbs stroking the soft, dark hair.
Not content with a simple peck on the lips, Zak claimed Orrin’s mouth with a kiss they would both remember; hot, sweet, and filled with emotion he couldn’t identify or express.
It left him breathless, hard, and dizzy, yet he still managed to say a few words to the amazing man.
“Thank you for a wonderful evening. I haven’t had this much fun for a long time. Can I pick you up for lunch tomorrow, and then maybe we can spend the afternoon together?”
Orrin’s gentle smile didn’t come close to matching his riotous scent—joy, lust, hope, and a healthy dose of anticipation.
“It’s a date! Goodnight, Zak.”
Orrin opened the front door, sending the man off with a final wave before going back upstairs to watch over the children. If tonight offered a tiny glimpse of what they could be, then he wanted more—even as his bear pushed to hurry things along.
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Zak drove home in a daze, wondering what he’d gotten himself into.
What happened to his plan to resist Orrin Crosby?
Why had he agreed to see the man again? How could he be thinking of a settled future with children when his new practice hadn’t even opened?
Was there something in Bear Creek’s water or had he lost his mind?
Maybe this was all DeeDee Tillman’s fault—first for convincing him to come to Bear Creek, and then for finding a sneaky way to keep him here.
Returning to a dark, empty home only made Zak yearn for the warmth, love, and belonging he’d felt at the Cub House.
Though it was Orrin’s scent that had attracted him initially, the complex man himself was irresistible, drawing him into his world as though Zak had belonged there all along.
Were they meant for one another? Did Orrin’s bear consider them mates?
And what about precious little Rayn? He’d encountered or treated thousands of children in the last decade, and yet she’d gotten under his skin almost immediately.
Somehow, they needed one another, but what did that mean?
Yes, they were both quasi-shifters, but did it suddenly qualify him to be her parent?
Zak didn’t think so, but then if Orrin was part of their combined future, maybe he could be her father.
Swirling thoughts, doubts, and questions followed him to bed, keeping him awake far longer than usual.
The answers he sought weren’t going to be revealed instantly, which meant taking things one day at a time.
That much he could do, and Zak eventually fell asleep thinking of tomorrow and his first real date with Orrin.