Chapter 14
Monday afternoon, Caesar patrolled the interior of the park, watching for anything out of the ordinary like jaguars who didn’t belong there.
He was walking with Benjamin, one of the wolves on the security team, who was discussing a date he went on with a female from a local bar the younger shifters frequented.
“Not your soulmate, huh?” Caesar asked.
“Nah. She’s cute, though. I didn’t think she was my soulmate when I accepted her offer for a date, I just thought it would be fun.”
“I’m sure it was, and I’m doubly sure that your soulmate will turn up at the perfect moment.”
“Maybe not at the bar, though.”
Caesar chuckled. “Well, I guess you never know with fate.”
“Hey, Caesar!”
He turned at the feminine voice and saw Jeanie waving at him as she walked quickly in their direction.
“Hi, Jeanie. How’s it going?”
She stopped in front of him and smiled. “Great. I was wondering if I could bend your ear for a moment?”
“You bet. I’ll catch up with you, Benjamin.”
“Sure. See ya, Jeanie.”
“Bye.” She looked at Caesar. “So you know how our little group got together this morning?”
“Yes, I was just thinking how happy Sera was when I saw her for lunch.”
“She brought some amazing scones and blueberry syrup and we made flavored sparkling water. It was really awesome.”
“She’s talented. I’m lucky to have her in my life.” He was also liable to put on a few pounds if she kept baking delicious treats like she was.
“So,” Jeanie said, lowering her voice. “I think you should consider opening a coffee shop in the park. Imagine how well the park would do with a coffee shop, especially if she could also offer the flavored waters in the summer. I mentioned it to Joss and he said I should talk to you. So here I am.”
Caesar hummed. He knew that Sera had been wondering what she could do in the park, but she wasn’t really in a position to be out and about while everything was up in the air with Otto.
“It’s not really safe here right now,” he pointed out.
“It would take a while to build an actual coffee shop, but in the meantime, we could create a space for it in the market. She could work breakfast with me, and I’d love to have a dedicated coffee and tea person, plus pastries. The girl can bake.”
Caesar grinned. “I really love that idea. Thank you so much, Jeanie.”
“You bet. Whenever she’s ready to talk about setting things up, I’ll be in the market."
He sent a text to Joss asking when he was free for a chat, and then he hurried to catch up to Benjamin to finish his patrol.
His phone buzzed a few minutes later.
Free in an hour. Meet me in the market cafeteria? Joss texted.
Perfect, Caesar texted back.
He put his phone back in his pocket and caught up to Benjamin.
They finished the rest of the patrol around the park in relative silence, Caesar’s thoughts spinning as he considered layouts for a coffee shop, equipment lists, seating, supplies.
He didn’t know much about coffee except that he loved whatever Sera made, but he’d damn well figure it all out if it meant giving her something of her own.
An hour later, he found Joss in the cafeteria underground, the center of the marketplace with a small shop, nail salon, and makeup shop.
Caesar sat across from Joss. “Thanks for meeting me.”
“No problem. How’s Sera doing with everything that happened this past weekend?”
“She’s good, thanks for asking. So I talked to Jeanie about the coffee shop.”
Joss nodded. “I think it’s an excellent idea. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it earlier, except that no one’s ever really had a talent for making that kind of thing.”
“A coffee and pastry shop would definitely be a hit in the park. But more importantly to me, Sera will love it. She’s been trying to figure out where she fits in here long term.”
“So since Jeanie mentioned it to me after the alpha female get together, I’ve been mulling things over.
We could do this in two phases. First, we could plan and build a coffee and pastry shop in the park.
It would be a small, stand-alone building, and if we put it near the safari tour, we could actually decorate it to match the safari theme.
It could have some indoor seating, but most of the seating area would be outside.
Pastry counter, whatever she’d need to make the coffees and teas, and in the summer, the flavored cold drinks could be added. ”
“That sounds amazing. It would take us six months or so to build an entire new building like that.” Caesar was in charge of construction in the park, and while they had a large crew with the lions, some bears, wolves, and gorillas, they were spread too thin with all the projects in the park to focus on one thing, and that meant everything took a little longer.
“I don’t see that being an issue,” Joss said. “We could plan for a spring opening and time it to some other special events in the park—like coffee-flavored ice cream in the ice cream stall, half-price family safari tours with free drinks, and that kind of thing.”
“You said two phases. What’s the other phase?”
“Until the coffee shop is ready to go, we can create a small café down here in the employee cafeteria. Espresso machine, fridge for syrups and creamers, display for pastries, and whatever she would need.”
Caesar nodded, warm satisfaction blooming in his chest. “That’s a perfect blend of what I was thinking after I talked to Jeanie. A temporary setup down here didn’t cross my mind, but that would be great so I don’t have to assign myself as a security guard to her coffee stall.”
Joss laughed. “I hear you. Honestly, we could use a new food stall in the park, and a coffee and pastry shop would really be perfect by the safari tours. And down here, Jeanie said having someone handle the drinks for breakfast, which is the busiest time of day for the kitchen, would be a load off her back. There’s also a female in the pack named Heidi who is kind of a jill-of-all-trades and has helped in the kitchen.
She’s always looking to help wherever she can, and I bet she’d enjoy learning how to make coffees and help Sera, if she needed a hand.
And once the shop is opened topside, she can coordinate with Lexy on pastries to offer and maybe even do some flavor pairings and seasonal menus. ”
“Love it. How soon do you think we could get the little café going down here?”
“I can place an order for basic equipment and supplies from the restaurant supply store where Jeanie gets her things. She could help place the order, then Sera could add to that as she’d like to.
” Joss looked around the market. “A few days, maybe? And a trip to pick up the supplies when they’re ready. ”
“Sounds good to me.” Caesar extended his hand and Joss shook it. “Thanks for this, I really appreciate it.”
“Happy to help. I’m going to reach out to Dexter in Little River and have him draw up plans for the topside shop. He can draft the plan and Sera can help tweak it once it’s ready so it’s what she envisions and also fits in with the safari theme.”
They parted ways and Caesar went back to patrol, but in his head, he was building a place for his mate.
* * *
The next few days passed in a blur of planning, building, and coordination while keeping Sera in the dark about everything.
Caesar spent his mornings on patrol and his afternoons working with Joss and Dexter on the plans for the topside building.
In the underground market, he’d set up the machinery and supplies that Jeanie had suggested and kept them under tarps so no one knew what was being planned.
Thursday morning, he got a text from Jeanie that they were ready to go whenever he and Sera hit the market cafeteria. He felt like a kid at Christmas.
“Ready for breakfast?” he asked, pulling her toward the door.
“You kept me up late last night,” she said with a yawn and a smile. “We could just make eggs and toast and go back to bed.”
“Nah, I’m in the mood for pancakes.”
She yawned again and he smiled. His lion was practically prancing with anticipation.
She looked effortlessly adorable in jeans and a light sweater over a park T-shirt with a lion on the front.
She always looked beautiful to him, but today she looked especially amazing, with her eyes bright and a relaxed smile on her face.
They walked hand in hand down the hall to the market.
“So I have a favor to ask,” he said.
“Anything.”
“Close your eyes.”
“What?” She looked at him.
“Close your eyes. I’ll make sure you don’t bump into anything.” When she narrowed her eyes at him, he added, “You trust me, don’t you?”
“With my whole heart.”
“Good. Then trust that something good is coming. I just want it to be a surprise.”
“You got it.” She closed her eyes and made a show of covering them with one hand, a playful smile on her face.
He held her arm and walked her to the market, where Jeanie had removed the tarps and set up the café, which now had a small wooden chalkboard sign in front of the counter. The market was quiet since it was before seven when it would get busier as the shifters headed out for work.
He stopped in front of the counter that Jeanie had designated for the new café and placed his hand over Sera’s hand. “I want you to know that you’re the most important person in my life and I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
“You can open your eyes.” He took his hand away and hers dropped.
She opened her eyes and tilted her head slightly. Then she gasped.
“What did you do?” she asked. “Is this for me?”
“I’m proving I’m the best soulmate on the planet and this is one hundred percent for you.
” He pointed to the hand-painted wooden sign.
“I figured we’d keep the name simple for now.
” Sera’s Café was scripted in elegant white lettering on dark wood, a little flourish of painted leaves curling under the name.
“I didn’t want it to be about the drinks or the pastries,” he added. “I wanted it to be about you.”
She swallowed hard, eyes shimmering. “Caesar.”
Behind the counter was a gleaming espresso machine and rows of ceramic mugs, tall glasses, and disposable drinkware.
She walked forward slowly like she couldn’t believe her eyes.
He lifted the section of the counter to let her pass through and followed, showing her what Jeanie had suggested they start the café with.
Under the counter was a fridge with her creamers and syrups that he’d snuck over while she’d been in the shower.
“I can’t believe this.”
“What do you think?” he asked.
“This is amazing. You’re amazing!” She hugged him tightly and kissed him, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. “You really are the best soulmate.”
He told her the plan for a safari coffee and pastry shop and how she could start serving coffees whenever she was ready, and about the wolf female who was excited to work with her if she needed a hand.
“You can name the topside coffee and pastry shop whatever you’d like when it’s time, but down here is yours. ”
“I don’t know what to say,” she said.
“You don’t have to say anything. Just know that you belong here. With me, with the pride, here in the park. You can build something wonderful, and we all want to help you do it.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, baby.”
* * *
Later that night, after the adrenaline of the day had worn off and they’d eaten dinner together, he followed her into their bedroom.
She turned to face him near the bed, eyes luminous.
“I still can’t believe you made me a little café down here.
And the plan for the safari coffee and pastry shop is incredible. ”
“I’d do anything to make you happy.”
“I am. So much happier than I ever thought I could be.”
He cupped her cheek and kissed her gently. The kiss deepened, slowly, emotion rising between them like a tide. Clothes slipped away, hands roaming.
She took the lead, surprising him with the way she growled softly, eyes bright with arousal, and pushed him to the bed.
She prowled up his body, kissing and licking, electrifying every inch of him.
She settled on him, sliding slowly down his erection until their bodies were tightly wed, and everything dropped away but just the two of them.
He planted his hands on her hips, guiding her as she rode him, letting her take what she wanted to get herself to the pinnacle of pleasure.
Pressing his thumb to her clit, he snarled as her pussy gripped him tightly, rhythmically. He saw her fangs elongate as her body heated, wrapping him in a tight glove of pure pleasure that made his eyes cross and his spine tingle.
When she came with a shout, her body trembling like a live wire, he followed her swiftly, letting himself go to chase after her in bliss.
While his body hummed through the waves of his orgasm, she sank her fangs into his neck with a deep, throaty growl. Even more pleasure piled onto him, careening him into a deep release that touched the very center of him.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her close as she tended to the mark to ensure it scarred permanently. Then she melted against him with a contented purr.
“You’re mine,” she whispered as she snuggled against him.
He kissed the top of her head, his lion purring in response. “You’re mine too, sweet mate. My heart. My home. My everything.”