Chapter Sixteen – Kirk
Kirk woke slowly, his senses filled with all that was Isla before he even opened his eyes. She stirred against him, and he tightened his arm around her, holding her close.
Perfect, his bear sighed contentedly. This is exactly where she belongs.
Kirk couldn’t argue. For the first time since meeting her, it felt as though the world had finally settled where it should be.
Something profound had shifted between them last night—not just the physical intimacy, though that had been more perfect than he’d dared to imagine. It was what came before. She had seen him shift. Seen his bear. And instead of running, she had touched him with wonder in her eyes. Not fear.
She accepted all of us, his bear observed quietly. Not just the man, but the beast too.
That kind of acceptance was humbling. Most people who learned about shifters needed time to adjust, to reconcile the impossible with their understanding of the world. But Isla had simply embraced it. Embraced him completely.
She stirred against him, her breathing changing rhythm as consciousness slowly returned. Kirk held perfectly still, not wanting to wake her fully yet, savoring these last quiet moments.
Her eyelids fluttered, then opened. For a heartbeat, confusion clouded her blue-gray eyes. Then recognition dawned, followed by a slow, sleepy smile that made his chest tighten.
“Morning,” she murmured, her voice husky from sleep.
“Morning,” he replied, unable to keep the tenderness from his voice.
Tell her she looks beautiful, his bear prompted.
“You look beautiful,” Kirk said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Her cheeks flushed pink. “I’m sure that’s not true. I must look a mess.”
“The most beautiful mess I’ve ever seen,” he insisted, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.
She stretched languidly against him, her body warm and soft. “What time is it?”
Kirk glanced at the bedside clock. “Just after seven.”
“Mmm,” she hummed, settling back against him. “Percy won’t be back until ten.”
“So we have time,” Kirk said, his hand tracing lazy patterns on her bare shoulder.
Lots of time, his bear added eagerly. We should make the most of it.
Down, boy, Kirk said, amused by his bear’s sudden enthusiasm.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, watching her face carefully. “About everything. Last night was... a lot to take in.”
Isla pushed herself up on one elbow, looking down at him with thoughtful eyes. “You mean the part where you turned into a bear, or the part where we made love in a forest clearing under the moonlight?”
“Both,” he admitted with a small smile. “Either could have sent you running.”
She considered this, her fingers absently tracing patterns on his chest. “I should be freaking out,” she said finally.
“The rational part of my brain knows that. But somehow... it feels right. You feel right.” Her eyes met his, clear and certain.
“A part of me has known that since the first time I saw you outside Win’s shack. ”
Kiss her, his bear urged. Right now.
Kirk didn’t need prompting. He leaned up, capturing her lips with his own. The kiss was unhurried, a gentle good morning rather than a passionate demand. When they broke apart, Isla was smiling again, her eyes filled with affection—and unmistakable desire.
“So, you said we have time…” She left the sentence dangling.
“Oh, we have time,” he murmured against her ear as he rolled her onto her back, hovering above her for a moment while their eyes locked. She reached up to trace his jawline with her fingertips, her touch igniting sparks along his skin.
“I want you,” she whispered.
How could he resist?
His lips traveled down her neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. When he reached her breasts, he took his time, savoring each soft curve as if memorizing them with his mouth.
“Kirk,” she breathed, arching beneath him as he circled one nipple with his tongue before drawing it between his lips.
His bear rumbled with approval as Isla’s fingers threaded through his hair, holding him against her. He lavished attention on each breast in turn, his tongue teasing each sensitive peak until she was writhing beneath him.
She tugged gently at his hair, urging him up for another kiss as her hand slipped between them, wrapping around his hardness with confident strokes.
“I need you,” she murmured against his lips.
He entered her slowly, both of them gasping at the sensation. Kirk moved with deliberate control, watching her face as pleasure bloomed across her features. This wasn’t the urgent claiming of the night before. This was something more tender, more intimate.
They moved together as if they’d been lovers for years rather than hours, each anticipating the other’s needs, each touch building upon the last. Kirk felt his control slipping as Isla tightened around him, her breath coming in short gasps that told him she was close.
He slid one arm beneath her, holding her tightly against him as his movements became more insistent.
When her release came, she cried out his name, her body pulsing around him.
The sound and sensation were too much for Kirk to resist, and he followed her over the edge, emptying his seed into her with a deep groan.
They remained joined, trading lazy kisses as their heartbeats gradually slowed. Kirk rolled to his side, keeping Isla in his arms. He didn’t want her to leave, but she couldn’t be late for her son. He knew that. Knew that Percy would always come first.
For both of them. That was what being a parent was all about. He’d learned that from his own parents.
“Coffee?” he asked, reluctantly acknowledging that they should probably start the day.
“Please,” she nodded. “Though I’m tempted to stay right here all morning.”
We could, his bear pointed out hopefully.
“As tempting as that is,” Kirk said, pressing one more kiss to her lips before sitting up, “I have to work today. And I make a mean breakfast.”
“That is an offer I cannot refuse,” she said as she rolled out of bed.
They dressed in comfortable silence, Kirk lending Isla one of his flannel shirts when she grimaced at the thought of putting her dirt-stained blouse back on. The sight of her in his flannel, the sleeves rolled up to expose her wrists, sent a deep, possessive satisfaction through him.
Look how right she looks in our clothes, his bear said proudly. In our home.
In the kitchen, Kirk set to work brewing coffee and gathering ingredients while Isla perched on a stool at the counter, watching him.
“I love watching you cook,” she admitted, accepting the mug of coffee he handed her. “You move as if you know exactly what you’re doing.”
“Years of practice,” he replied, cracking eggs into a bowl. “Though I usually just cook for myself.”
“Sometimes cooking can be such an effort,” she said, a note of regret in her voice. “Since I’ve had Percy, my culinary repertoire has become seriously limited. I never seemed to have the time to find the right ingredients or the mental capacity to experiment.”
Kirk nodded, understanding the unspoken admission. Life in the city moved at a different pace than here in Bear Creek. He whisked the eggs with a fork, adding a pinch of his milder chili blend and a handful of grated cheese.
“It must be hard being a single mom,” he said, pouring the egg mixture into a hot pan.
Isla’s fingers tightened around her mug. “In some ways. Percy’s father hasn’t been part of our lives since Percy was two. So I’m used to being on my own.”
Kirk nodded, accepting the information without pushing further. “Percy’s lucky to have you,” he said simply.
She looks sad, his bear observed. Change the subject.
“So,” Kirk said, flipping toast onto plates, “what does Percy usually eat for breakfast? For when he’s here next time.”
“Next time, huh?” she asked.
“Are you saying there won’t be?” Kirk asked lightly.
“I suppose…” Isla smothered a smile. “But that will depend on how good your breakfast is this morning.”
“Oh, it’s going to be the best breakfast you’ve ever tasted,” Kirk said with confidence. “Believe me, breakfast eggs will never be the same after you have tasted mine.”
“My, aren’t we confident?”
“Oh, yeah.” He winked at her as the eggs sizzled in the pan. “I might even get Percy to try them.”
“He’s actually pretty adventurous with breakfast,” she said. “But when he finds a cereal he likes, he insists on having it every day for weeks.”
“Typical kid then,” Kirk said, sliding perfectly cooked chili eggs onto their plates alongside the toast and some sliced fruit he’d prepared.
“In a lot of ways, he is,” Isla agreed. “In other ways, he’s not. I sometimes worry he’s old for his years, you know.”
“All kids are different. And he certainly knows how to have fun. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty.” Kirk set the plates down before returning for their coffee.
“Enjoy,” he said as they settled at the table.
Isla took a bite of the eggs and closed her eyes briefly, savoring the flavor. “Oh, you’re right. These are incredible,” she said after swallowing. “The chili adds warmth without overwhelming the eggs.”
“That’s the idea,” Kirk nodded, pleased by her appreciation. “Heat should enhance, not dominate.”
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the morning sunlight streaming through the window, warming the kitchen. Kirk found himself studying her as she ate, loving the slight furrow between her brows when she was considering something.
“What?” she asked, catching his gaze.
“This feels good,” he admitted. “Having breakfast together.”
Her expression softened. “It does, doesn’t it? Like we’ve been doing this for years.”
Like we could do it for years to come, his bear added silently.
Too soon, the clock on the wall reminded them that time was passing. Isla glanced at it and sighed.
“I should probably head back soon,” she said reluctantly. “Rachel will be bringing Percy to Bear’s Rest, and I need to be there when they arrive.”
Kirk nodded, trying not to let his disappointment show. “Of course.”
“Thank you for breakfast,” she said, reaching across the table to take his hand. “And for last night. For trusting me with your secret.”
“Thank you for accepting it,” he replied, squeezing her fingers gently. “For accepting me.”
“You’re welcome.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “And you’re right, these are the best breakfast eggs I’ve ever tasted.”
“Listen, there’s a local flavors event in the town square this afternoon,” he said, caressing her cheek. “I’m running a chili tasting booth. You and Percy should come by, if you’re interested.”
Isla hesitated, and Kirk sensed the shift in her energy immediately. “I’d like to,” she said slowly. “But I do have some work I need to finish first…”
Reality check, his bear grumbled. She has a life beyond Bear Creek.
“Of course,” Kirk said, keeping his tone light. “It runs until four. If you finish up in time, the offer stands.”
“We’ll try,” she promised, though something in her expression had changed. A slight distance had crept in, as if part of her was already back in her other life, the life he knew almost nothing about.
When the dishes were done and Isla had changed back into her own clothes, they walked outside together. Kirk followed her to her car, his bear already restless at the thought of her leaving.
Ask her to stay, his bear urged. Tell her we need her here.
But Kirk knew better. Whatever was growing between them needed time and space. Pushing too hard would only drive her away.
At her car door, she turned to face him, her expression softening again. “I’ll see you soon,” she said simply.
“Sooner would be better.”
She rose on her toes and kissed him. Kirk’s arms wrapped around her, holding her close for one more moment before reluctantly letting her go.
But she had to be back at Bear’s Rest for her son. So he let her go.
With a last wistful smile, she got into the car and closed the door before starting the engine.
With a final wave, she backed out of the driveway and headed down the road that would take her back to Bear’s Rest.
Kirk stood in the driveway long after her car had disappeared from view, the morning sun warm on his shoulders. His bear paced restlessly within him, already missing her presence.
She’ll be back, Kirk assured his bear. She said so.
But what if she changes her mind? his bear worried. What if the distance reminds her of all she has waiting for her beyond Bear Creek?
The thought settled cold and heavy in Kirk’s chest. For all their connection, for all the intimacy they had shared, there was still so much he didn’t know about Isla. About her life beyond this town, her career, and her ambitions.
And suddenly he realized just how much that might matter.