Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
ULY
Nearly a month had gone by since that day.
Chaim and Benjy returned to Idanha and sold their restaurant to a woman who’d worked there.
They gave it to her for practically nothing, because Brent wanted them back home.
And now they were opening a new one in town, and people were chomping at the bit to get in.
Their menu was more esoteric than one would believe.
They had created fish dishes using the salmon from the local lakes like Salmon ala King and Creamy Tuscan Salmon, but they also had burgers, pasta, club sandwiches, and a heap of vegetarian and vegan items. Plus, they ordered desserts from the place Jamie worked at.
I understood then. They kept the money circling within the sleuth, rarely going outside the company if they didn’t need to.
“Momma!”
I turned and smiled at Jack as he pumped his legs to swing higher. There was a grin on his face that was brighter than the sun.
“Be careful,” I admonished. “You don’t want to fall and get hurt.”
“We won’t,” Eddie promised.
Not a few moments later, both of them fell from the swings and landed with a thud on the thick cushion that covered the ground. I thought they’d cry, but instead they got up, brushed themselves off, and laughed like little demons.
That I loved like they were my own.
“Hey, Uly?”
I turned to find Benjy coming toward us with a large wicker basket.
“What’s this?” I asked, gesturing at what he held in his hands.
“Brent sent it so you guys could eat and play.”
Again, Brent was taking care of the boys. I loved seeing a father so devoted to his kids.
“I’m sure the boys will appreciate it.”
Benjy frowned. “He sent it so you could all enjoy it, dummy.”
“But mostly because I’m taking care of the boys.”
Benjy let loose with a deep sigh. “You don’t understand the mating imperative, do you?”
And how could I? I mean, I wasn’t a bear and no one had explained it to me. Everyone was willing to tell me I was Brent’s mate, but beyond that it was as if they expected me to instinctively know. “Well, no. I guess not.”
Benjy mumbled something, then gestured to a spot on the grass. “How about we set up and have some food, and while we eat I’ll tell you what I know?”
“That sounds good.”
Then we were moving together, unfurling a red and black checked blanket. I was surprised at how wide it was, but then Benjy started pulling out containers of food. Meat sandwiches, fish dishes, pasta salads, potato salads, and more came from the seemingly bottomless basket.
“What the heck? Who can eat that much food?”
A slight smirk graced Benjy’s cute face. “Brent wanted to ensure you had something to enjoy. He knew the kids would eat anything, but he wasn’t sure about your favorites.”
I picked up the container of pasta salad. It wasn’t mayo based or oil based. “What’s this?”
“Soba and Zucchini Noodle Salad,” came the reply.
“When Chaim said he wanted to serve it at the restaurant, people told him they’d never eat something like that.
He still did it, though. Found a few customers who were willing to take the chance on it, and it became a hit.
Don’t worry, everything here is something Chaim made himself.
I’m… not much help in the kitchen, except for washing dishes.
Chaim is the chef, I’m the assistant.” He smiled at the way I sniffed it, then poked a noodle with the fork, wrapping it around the tines before putting it in my mouth.
Holy hell, that was delicious.
The boys, surprisingly, were too busy stuffing their faces to listen to us.
While Benjy and I sat on one end of the blanket, they occupied the other, talking over each other about how good the food was.
I loved how they would eat most anything.
Brent said it was because bears are omnivores and enjoy a wide variety of foods in the wild.
“Okay, so it’s time to educate you,” Benjy said softly.
“You know what a mate is. You heard us talk about it with Brent. Naturally, being human, we didn’t realize at the time things would be different for you, and seeing as how none of us are in that particular spot, it’s impossible for us to speak to it in terms you’ll understand from your viewpoint.
Which means, you’ll have to hear about it from a bear’s POV and try to pull it into your life experience. ”
I sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, tell me.”
“For a bear…. No, that’s not right. For any being who has a mate, meeting them changes who you are.
You could be the world’s biggest playboy, but if you meet your mate, no other person in the world will do it for you.
Your entire being will be devoted to that mate.
” He tilted his head in the boy’s direction.
“Or whatever offspring comes from your love.”
“I… think I understand.”
For that, I got a soft smile. “I doubt it. For Brent and the boys, loving you is engrained in their very being. It’s part of them now, and only death can sunder it. They love you and will do so until one of you dies.”
I snorted. “Then why is Brent being so cool toward me?”
I had not meant to admit that, but since the day we got back from the mountains, he was quiet. I thought we had turned a corner, and would move forward, but the opposite seemed to be happening. I felt like he was drawing away from me.
“When Chaim figured out I was his mate, he did everything to show me his feelings. But the difference here is I’m also a bear.
I understand the aggression, the passion, the yearning.
Brent is afraid that you won’t.” Benjy turned the flap of his shirt down and showed me a bit of his chest. It was covered in hickeys and bite marks.
“This? It’s a nightly occurrence for me and Chaim.
He has the need to conquer me every day.
To remind me that he’s in charge and that I have to follow him.
His bites? They’re gifts he gives me to show his love. ”
“Okay?”
“Brent wants that with you, but he’s uncertain if you would want that kind of love.
He’s terrified that you’ll see what loving a bear is like and run screaming for the hills.
It’s not for the faint of heart. When we have sex, Chaim is closer to his bear than to his human.
It’s rough, sometimes violent, but always filled with passion.
He’s everything I need and want, all wrapped up into a sexy as fudge packet. ”
And Brent was worried he’d scare me. “So you’re saying he’s backing off because….?”
“Because he desperately wants to slam you against a wall as he thrusts into you over and over. And he’ll keep wanting it nearly every night.
More often than not multiple times. And Uly, this is important.
Brent won’t ever stop wanting you. When you’re both fifty or sixty or whatever, he’s still going to have this insane need to be buried in you. ”
My ass clenched at the thought of a marathon sex scene.
“Admittedly, a lot of this information comes from wolves. Their connection to their mates is different than ours, so not every scrap of info will be the same for both. It’s possible our needs will mellow over time and we won’t need sex as often.
Crap, I hope not. You have no idea how much I want Chaim every day.
But it is possible. And we’re both bears.
With you, a human, and Brent, a bear, the laws have yet to be written. ”
“I want him so much it hurts,” I admitted. “Except for one very failed attempt, I’m pretty much a virgin. I don’t want to disappoint Brent.”
Benjy reached for my hand. “Sweetie, that’ll never happen. You are exactly what Brent needs and, I think, he’s what you need. You two just need to get on the same page.”
And I understood now. Mostly.
“Got you,” I replied, thoughts of Brent now filling my head. “And I think I know what to do.”
Benjy gave a wicked grin. “I believe you do.”
Someone was going to be in for a surprise tonight.
brENT
The driveway. Finally. It had been a long, grueling day.
Having Cait back had turned out to be a blessing after all.
The phone never stopped ringing and people kept popping by to update me, instead of waiting for our meetings, though there were a few of those too.
It was like something was in the air, and I was the last one to know.
The highlight of the day was the letter in my pocket.
Sandy had written and said she and Tom were having the time of their lives, but that they still missed the boys and me.
After reading it, I stuffed it into my pants, then called her.
“Mr. Lockhart?” she said, sounding shocked.
“Hey, how are you?”
“We’re good. How about you?” She gasped. “Is something wrong with the boys? Tom, turn around. We need to get—”
“No, stop that! Everything is fine, I promise. I got your letter and felt a little homesick, so wanted to give you a call.”
A slow sigh slid out of her. “We miss you all too. Right now we’re camped in Denali National Park.
We got here a couple days ago and met the nicest brown bear shifter and his family.
We’ve been hanging out with them, eating some of the local food, tromping around in their forests, and the like.
It’s nice, but it isn’t the same as our place. ”
“Ask him!” Tom whispered.
“Are you sure?” she replied, hand apparently over the phone.
“You won’t know until we ask.”
Then she came back. “Mr. Lockhart? We were wondering….”
“Yes, of course you can bring your brown bear friends here to see the town and run through the mountains.”
“Really? Oh, thank you.”
“I can’t wait to meet them.”
We chatted a few more minutes, but then she asked something that had me questioning everything.
“What’s going on there? Everything all right?”