Series: Lee Savino
Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63295 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
“Then consider this your official offer. How’s fifty percent ownership sound?”
“Perfect.” I let him take me into his arms and dip me for a kiss.
“I love you, little dove,” he murmurs just before he claims my mouth.
“I love you, my Viking bear.” I kiss him back.
Don’t worry, it’s not quite over! Read on for a special epilogue about Lana’s baby shower, starring Lana, Paloma, Wren, plus some out of town guests from Taos. And, of course, the Bad Boy Bears.
Epilogue
Paloma
The day of Lana’s baby shower is a gorgeous, crisp fall day. Darius and I hike up early to help, but Lana hired a whole party planning team, so when we arrive there’s a full buffet brunch laid out on the dining table and a big tent with tables already set up outside.
There’s a rainbow colored balloon arch and tablecloths patterned with rainbows being clutched at either end by little brown bears.
“Not pink and baby blue?” I tease Lana. She’s in a periwinkle blue lounge set with a few matching blue braids scattered in with her soft pink ones.
“I wanted all the colors. Teddy wanted brown, for his bear, so the brown bears are for him.”
The party planners have all disappeared, but I still lower my voice. “Do you think the baby will be a shifter?”
“Teddy says probably,” Lana says, and Teddy appears as if summoned. He strides to his mate’s side and leans down to plant a kiss on the top of her head.
“I bet our children will all be bears.”
“Brown bears?” I ask. “Like you and Darius?”
“Yes.” Teddy couldn’t puff out his chest more if he tried.
“Although Everest is hoping that the baby will have a bear that's a cross between a grizzly and a polar bear like him.”
“Is that genetically possible?”
“No,” Lana and Teddy say in unison.
“Are you going to explain that to Everest?”
Teddy just sighs.
Everest’s bear form moves around the tables. I’m guessing Lana made sure the party would be outside, so he could come.
I mention this to Darius, and he nods. “We're having a family meeting soon to talk to him about shifting back into human form. I think he's been living off the land like a bear.”
I want to ask him more, but Lana’s guests arrive. She had a big party in LA for her celebrity friends to attend, so this one is for shifter friends and family.
Standing beside Darius, it’s almost too much to take in–there’s so much love. So much togetherness. After ten years of solitude, I suddenly have everything. It feels like my heart will burst.
Hutch and Bern helicoptered in women from Taos. They’re the human mates of Rafe, Lance, and Deke, the guys who helped rescue Wren. Adele, Charlie, and Sadie are all close with Lana.
“Are the guys coming?” Lana asks, giving each woman a hug.
“They’re on babysitting duty,” Charlie says. “Girls’ trip only, and we didn’t drive, so we can drink!”
I offer her a spiked cider, and she thanks me with a sigh.
“They do send their congratulations,” Sadie says. “And Deke and Lance fought over which one would give you a baby carrier as a gift. They have strong opinions on baby carriers.”
“How are your twins, Sadie?” Lana asks.
“Keeping us up all hours,” Sadie says with a tired smile. “Ansel is a night owl, and Bonnie wakes up at the crack of dawn. Luckily, Deke functions fine on low sleep.”
“You want some coffee?” Wren offers her.
“Or spiked cider?” I hold up my tray.
“How about some spiked coffee.” Sadie says.
“Now you’re talking.” Adele lights up, and we all laugh.
After our boozy brunch, we do gifts. Adele owns a chocolate shop in Taos. She brought gifts for all of us, golden and white boxes with little chocolate bears. Lana loves the books we bought for the nursery. Teddy and Darius both model different sorts of baby carriers, using two teddy bears as baby models.
My ovaries really like seeing Darius holding a ‘baby.’ He catches me staring at him, and his eyes light up gold. I look away before his bear gets ideas.
Wren leans into me. “Are you and Darius gonna make me an aunt?”
I playfully swat her arm. “Not for a while yet. We want a little time to ourselves. And I want to build my career.”
“I’m just saying, Darius would be a great stay-at-home dad.”
I shush her. Werebears have super sensitive hearing. “Don’t tempt me.” When I look up again, he’s got a sexy smolder directed my way, and I decide if he puts a baby bear in me sooner rather than later, I won’t mind.
“Are you going to do a gender reveal?” Charlie asks Lana.
“It’s too early. Besides, Bern spent three hours yesterday explaining that there’s more than just a gender binary.” Lana smiles up at the goth triplet. He clears his throat as if he’s about to launch into the explanation, and Hutch and Canyon grab him and clap a hand over his mouth.