Chapter 22
Chelsea
Normally when one of the people in a romantic relationship suddenly mentioned meeting the family unit, it meant things were getting serious.
Perhaps there was even a serious thought of progressing into forever.
Obviously, I was no expert in relationships since the only one that had lasted more than a week had been with the hockey asshole. Those three months had honestly been the longest of my life.
This was entirely different. One could say we were just fucking, only that wouldn’t be entirely accurate.
Yes, we were and every time we engaged in a sinful act, the moment was hotter than the one before.
However, there was more to it, given we were mates.
I’d read accounts of what that was supposed to mean, all written by supposed experts in the field of evolutionary biology or those who’d spent their careers studying the structure and composition of gene structure.
The only ‘expert’ who’d made any sense to me had been Georgia Wallace, now Georgia Kendrick, Ford Kendrick’s wife. An accomplished woman, only recently graduating from medical school and very, very human.
She’d put the mating process with shifters into layman’s terms, debunking all the scary, ugly stuff like …
a human mate would eventually turn furry.
That a wolf mate would bite, mark, claw, and one day consume their mate whole.
Or that offspring would always be born shifters.
Well, in all honesty, given the data on procreation from a human-shifter union was limited, not a single scientist knew for certain if the children born of the pairing had shifting abilities.
In babies, there’d been no signs. Except… within their DNA, the certain genes were buried in their molecules or strands. That’s where the scientific language had been lost to me. Or maybe I’d been on overload at that point.
Since feeling the intense connection shared with Cole and from even before he’d knotted me, I’d asked myself a couple of questions. Not that I’d been expecting we were mates. More that I hadn’t wanted to be blindsided.
Did it really matter that Cole was a shifter? Only if he managed to get wolf fur all over the house.
Would it matter if and when we had children if they had the ability to shift?
Well, from what I’d read and seen, shifters lived longer, were more immune to certain diseases, had incredible attributes and all seemed highly intelligent.
What could be wrong with wanting my children…
our children to have everything possible for their success?
I was jumping the gun a little, but what did I expect since Cole was currently pulling down a very long driveway toward his parents’ house?
I certainly couldn’t claim to know enough about shifters. What I had reminded myself of several times was that they lived perfectly normal lives. So what did it matter if they got a little furry from time to time?
“Relax,” Cole said from beside me.
“I am relaxed.”
“No, you’re a bundle of nerves. Look at how you’re sitting on the edge of your seat.”
“Because I’m enjoying the scenery.” Which wasn’t a complete lie. The landscaping, including trees lining the driveway along with lights positioned perfectly every few feet was gorgeous. But of course he could read me like a book.
“We don’t bite.”
As soon as he made the statement, I turned my head, offering one of what he’d started calling my signature nasty looks. “Oh?”
His shrug was far too adorable. “Usually.”
“What if I want you to bite?”
I was rewarded with a deep growl, the husky baritone rumbling in my chest.
He could be far too sexy when I least needed him to be.
We were having dinner with his parents. My family didn’t do dinners with friends of their kids.
That was unheard of, which was why when I’d gone to a friend’s house for a birthday party, a barbecue, or any other normal family gathering, I’d felt completely awkward.
Which was why my mouth was twitching now.
“Well, shit,” Cole muttered. “I didn’t know this was a family reunion.”
“Samantha’s here.” Her car was parked next to three huge pickup trucks. She had no idea how close Cole and I had grown.
“Not just that. My brothers and my guess is their significant others.”
When he pulled next to the trucks, he remained with the engine running. It was easy to see he was the nervous one. My goodness. Beads of sweat were trickling down his face.
“I thought you adored your family.”
“Mostly. But they are a little over the top.” He lifted his gaze, glaring at the front door. “We could turn around.”
Seeing his apprehension pushed me into facing mine. I reached over, turning off the engine, and grabbed his key.
“What are you doing?” His demand was cute.
In a deft move, I unfastened my seatbelt and was out the passenger door before he could stop me. But I bent over, winking at him as he did with me when trying to suggest nothing was a big deal when it actually was. “Taking matters into my very capable hands, Mr. Kendrick. Get out. Now.”
He shored his shoulders and laughed. “I do so love it when you’re rough.”
We were no sooner on the bottom step than the front door opened, two older people who were so obviously his parents walking out. They stood for a full five seconds, glancing from one to the other of us, his mother nodding while allowing a heavy sigh.
“You’re right, Pat. She’s the one.”
“I told you, Mags.” The older man was built exactly like Cole, strong with broad shoulders, his salt and pepper hair making him distinguished. Still very muscular, he had the look of a man who worked hard for a living but was comfortable in his skin.
“Mom. Dad. Please don’t scare Chelsea away before the family antics even begin.” Cole shook his head, grumbling more than before when two big strapping men who looked remarkably similar to Cole swung around his parents, leaning over the porch railing. Both with evil grins on their faces.
“Hot damn,” one of them said.
“Watch your mouth, Ford,” Cole’s mother chided.
“Ah, come on, Mom. It isn’t often our baby brother brings home a girl,” the other brother, who was obviously Beck, chimed in.
“And his mate,” Ford insisted.
I was completely flabbergasted. Not by the insinuations, but by how loving they all seemed. And welcoming. My father would have already started grilling Cole on his 401-K.
Although I couldn’t help but admit I was overwhelmed.
Thankfully, Samantha finally appeared along with two other incredibly beautiful women. All three were visions. I felt like the ugly Cinderella in my faded, soon to have holes in the knees jeans. At least I’d convinced Cole to stop at a big box discount store so I could pick up a few things.
That in and of itself had been a sexy experience. There was nothing like indulging in acts of sin in a women’s dressing room.
“Don’t mind the boys,” Samantha said. “They are mostly harmless and I’m happy to gag them if necessary.”
“I’ll join you,” one of the two other women said loudly enough Beck winced playfully.
“How about some introductions, Mom?” Samantha tossed out.
“Yes, drinks are obviously needed.” I could already tell the matriarch was a spitfire.
“Patrick and Margaret Kendrick,” Cole stated. “AKA my parents. The goofball on your left is Ford with his wife Georgia.”
“I read your white papers,” I told her. “They had incredible and well thought out information about shifters.”
Georgia’s smile could light up an entire city. She was hugely pregnant, as if the baby could drop at any minute. “See, Ford? I told you the information was important.”
“My wife is grouchy because of the twins,” Ford shot back.
“You try carrying two huge hockey players in your belly, buster.” Her comeback was perfect and I laughed.
“Twins?” I whispered to Cole.
“Twins,” he repeated. “They run in the family.” It was his turn to wink when I uttered a slight gasp.
The man was incorrigible.
“I’m Sloane Winters, although at some point I might change my last name to Kendrick, if this big lug Beck can stop being such an animal.”
It wasn’t as if she’d said anything inappropriate, yet everyone laughed. They certainly didn’t take themselves too seriously.
“And this is Chelsea Black.”
“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Kendrick.”
When Cole introduced me, there was a slight look with his parents that I couldn’t read but almost instantly, Margaret motioned me toward the house.
“Please, call me Maggie. Only my husband dares call me Mags. And I promise you, Chelsea, no more formalities. We are actually one big happy family. Aren’t we? ”
She was also their cheerleader, every family member agreeing.
“Anyway, make yourself at home,” she continued. “Cole, make sure and get her a drink. Ford, Pat, you’re on grilling duty. Ladies, you can help with the salads.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Georgia answered.
“What about me?” Beck asked.
Maggie shook her head. “Just try not to eat all the hors d’oeuvres.”
Beck grimaced. “I never have any fun.”
Before I followed the group into the house, Cole stopped me, crowding my space so that I’d be forced to suffer the desire spinning through me.
“Are you okay with all this?” His lips were far too close for comfort.
“Ask me in an hour.”
“We won’t stay long and if you’re too uncomfortable, just let me know.”
“And how would I do that?”
He pushed his index finger to his temple. “Just use your mind and I’ll know.”
“Right. Shifters can’t read minds even of their mates. Right?”
As he backed away, keeping his dimpled grin, I had to believe he could. I learned something new about him every day.
* * *
“Don’t ask Chelsea about her thoughts on Die Hard,” Cole blurted out.
In being able to talk freely and tease while enjoying an incredible dinner, I’d never felt so relaxed. “Don’t whine, Cole. I said what I said and I’m always right.”
Sloane whistled. “I agree with her. It is not a Christmas movie.”
“That’s it,” Beck teased. “The engagement is off.”
“Why don’t we talk about how our brother Cole was a scrawny kid,” Ford threw out. “She needs to know all the juicy details about your past.”