Chapter 10
All Indio could think about was getting Reagan back to the house so he could make good on his promise to give her three orgasms. He was definitely the male for the job.
After paying the bill, he texted his uncle about his plans to take her to meet up with his family while Reagan texted her mom about them stopping by.
Since the alphas weren’t actively worried about anyone causing problems for their people, he wouldn’t need to grab an escort to follow them to South Carolina.
There hadn’t been danger in the park since Sera, alpha lion Caesar’s mate, had an alpha jaguar coming after her.
He’d been put down, along with his cronies, and the park was safe once more.
Normally, Indio wouldn’t have even been allowed to spend the night away from the park, but Alistair had agreed to it last weekend.
The alphas had declared a while back that no shifters could sleep away from the park unless their soulmates knew the truth, because the risk of accidentally shifting overnight while they slept was too great.
Indio had made the case that he wasn’t at risk of shifting because his elephant didn’t want to accidentally harm Reagan while they slept since he was such an enormous animal, and the alphas had agreed.
Thank freaking goodness.
Spending the night with her after he’d lost track of her for three weeks was the best thing he could do. It solidified his I’m not going anywhere statement, and he knew that was really important to her.
As he drove to her mom’s house, he listened to her share some of the things her mom had said about her biological father over the years, and the general dislike of men and belief that they all eventually left after they got what they wanted.
He wanted to ask if that was a norm for human males, but he couldn’t exactly do that considering she didn’t know shifters were real.
Which was one of the main reasons he wanted to take her to the circus.
He not only wanted her to get to know his family, but he wanted an opportunity to show her the reality of his life as a shifter.
He was in love with her, and he was certain she loved him too, although they hadn’t said the words outright to each other.
A few days away together was just what he needed to win her trust and her heart fully.
“Are you sure about this?” she asked when he’d parked in front of a small ranch with the porch light on.
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
“Sweetheart, I’m very sure. She has said some awful things about men over the years and colored your perception of relationships long enough to make you worried about what happened between us.
I’m not thrilled with her take on love, but I adore you and nothing she says is going to make me walk away from you. ”
She stared at him for a long moment and then sighed. “All right. If you’re sure.”
“As sure as I am that I can’t wait to get you back to your house for all the orgasms I promised.”
She blew out another breath and he caught the sweet scent of her blooming arousal, making him want to drive away immediately.
Instead, though, he got out of the SUV and came around to her side and opened the door to help her out.
“You’re such a gentleman, I love how you do this for me. I’ve never had anyone open so many doors for me.”
“You’re mine,” he said simply. “I want you to know how important you are, plus it’s just good manners to treat someone I care about well.”
As they approached the house, the front door opened and her mom stood in the doorway, a tense frown on her face.
“So, this is the guy who left you high and dry for three weeks?”
“Mom! You know that’s not what happened,” Reagan said, pulling up short and gripping Indio’s hand tightly.
“Well, he didn’t fight for you or bust down any doors looking for you.”
Indio put his arm around Reagan. “She wanted space and I gave it to her. Whatever happened before we reconnected is in the past and we’re moving forward. Together.”
Her mom’s eyes narrowed, but then she stepped aside and held the door open. “Whatever.”
Reagan didn’t move at first, so Indio gave a gentle tug on her shoulders and they walked inside.
They didn’t move into the family room, but stayed in the kitchen, the whole atmosphere tense and unsettling.
“This is Indio,” Reagan said. “Indio, this is my mom, Denise.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Indio said.
“Is it?” Denise arched a brow. “Men always say nice things when they want something.”
“Mom! Stop,” Reagan said, exasperated.
“Whatever you believe about me, you can rest assured that I’m not just looking for what I can get out of Reagan, I’m in it forever. She’s my soulmate and the most important person in the world to me.”
“We’ll see,” Denise said.
“You’re not going to see anything except two people who were meant to find each other having a baby together and starting a family. I’d like for you to be part of our lives, but if you’re going to be aggressive and talk down to Reagan or me, you can forget it.”
“So he’s speaking for you now, is that it? He’s just going to cut me out of your life?”
“In this instance, yes, he’s speaking for me,” Reagan said. “You’re not allowed to be nasty to him. Do you get that he’s the guy I want to be with? That he’s the father of my baby and also the nicest guy I’ve ever met? You should want to know him and welcome him into the family.”
“Well, if he’s so nice, why didn’t he try to get in contact with you before now? Why did you have to just show up where he works instead of him coming to see you?”
Indio’s elephant was furious because Reagan looked hurt and he wasn’t sure if it was the reminder they’d been apart for three weeks or because of her mom’s tone.
Reagan threw up her hands. “You’re proving why I questioned bringing him to see you. You’re just so dang awful you can’t see past your own hurt to my life. I’m not you and he’s not my father. If you’re going to be an ass, then you can just be one by yourself. Let’s go.”
She grabbed Indio’s hand and pulled him toward the door.
“Fine, be awful to your mother,” Denise called after them. “You always did go chasing after men anyway, I’m sure he’ll get what he wants from you and take off anyway, so it’s no bother to me that he doesn’t like me.”
Reagan didn’t stop pulling on him until they were on the porch and she’d slammed the door behind them. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be.”
She shook her head with a snort. “Get me out of here, please.”
“Let’s go.”
He drove her to her house and walked her inside. She immediately paced the length of the family room, her teeth digging into her bottom lip.
“I should have come for you,” he said.
She froze in her pacing, then turned slowly to face him. “What?”
“She’s not wrong. I can’t say I’m a good male when I didn’t fight for you.
You told Rhomi you didn’t want to see me, and I gave you space.
I hated every second of it, the three weeks felt like an eternity with ice picks in my heart.
But I didn’t even try to talk to you. And I’m worried you might think it means I’m not serious about you. About us.”
She seemed completely frozen. And then she ran to him, jumping into his arms. He caught her and held her close, with her legs around his waist and her arms tight around his neck.
She kissed his cheek. “No. No, it’s not your fault.
I was paralyzed with shame, and it has a lot to do with my mom and my upbringing, but I have to stop relying on that as an excuse.
” She leaned back, her hands linked at his neck.
“I should have talked to you. I was a coward. I thought you’d see me as an easy lay, as someone not worth being with because I felt like I couldn’t keep my hands off you.
I’ve never done that before, just thrown caution to the wind and given into my body’s needs.
But it felt so good.” She leaned forward a little and kissed him.
“You told me to stop apologizing, so I won’t say the words again, but I’m glad we can move beyond the past. I want to.
I want to live in the now and look to the future. Together.”
Something unsaid passed between them.
And he knew without her saying a word, that she’d fallen completely in love with him and he’d fallen for her too.
“I should go home and pack,” he said.
He walked away from the front door and headed to the bedroom.
“I’d say you’re going the wrong way,” she said with a chuckle, pulling herself a little closer to him, “but I like where you’re going.”
“I promised to send you to the moon an extra three times,” he said. “Then I’ll go home and pack.”
“What about you?” she asked.
He laid her down on the bed, leaning over and bracing his arms on either side of her head. “What about me?”
“How many do you get?”
He chuckled. “You’re such a sweet female.” He undid the buttons of her top, slowly revealing the lacy bra that covered her ample breasts. “Are you mine, Reagan?”
“Yes,” she hissed when he slipped a finger inside one cup and brushed against her taut nipple.
“I’m yours,” he said. “Every inch of me, inside and out. You’ve got my heart entirely. And I want you with every fiber of my being.”
She dragged her nails down his arms and pressed her head back into the mattress as he tugged her bra down to free her breasts.
“Mine,” she whispered. “You’re mine .”
“One thousand percent.”