Cherished by the Cougar_A Shifters in Love Fun & Flirty Romance Read online

  “Good job,” she said and felt her face heat. “I appreciate it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Can Daddy read me my story?”

  “I think he can.”

  “In my room?”

  “On the couch,” Ryan said. “My leg isn’t up to curling up on the floor, and I am not as little as your mother.”

  No one who was as round as Claudia was little, but it was a courteous thing to say. A lie? Another lie? Or didn’t social lies count?

  Jimmy raced off to get Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, which was his current favorite. He and Ryan curled up while Claudia opened her laptop and read her emails. She had three inquiries about her accounting business which might translate into work. She answered them, while Ryan’s deep voice rumbled on.

  “I want another story,” whined Jimmy.

  “Tomorrow night,” Ryan said firmly. “Tell Mommy goodnight. I’ll tuck you in.”

  But Jimmy was at the end of his tether. The day’s excitement had finally caught up with him. “But Mommy always tucks me in,” he wailed.

  She tensed for a battle of wills. But Ryan only scooped the boy onto his shoulders, distracting him. They trotted across to the table where she was working.

  “Shall we both put him to bed tonight?” Ryan asked.

  “Yes,” squealed Jimmy in Ryan’s ear.

  Ryan winced but he only patted the boy’s leg. “Let’s go, son.”

  In no time at all they were back in the living room. “I have a bit more to do,” she confessed.

  “And I need to go home to pack a bag. I’ll be back in half an hour.”

  “Oh. Maybe you should move in tomorrow?”

  “And disappoint Jimmy? Not on your life.” He bent and kissed her cheek. “Lock the door.”

  And then she was alone with her thoughts.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ryan~

  As he had expected, Charles had left an increasingly frantic series of voicemails for him. Charles did not text. Ryan called Cougar One from the SUV.

  “Well,” Grandfather barked. “How’d she take it?”

  Ryan snorted. “About like you’d expect, sir. She was shocked. Horrified. But I stayed for dinner and got to read a bedtime story to the cub.”

  “Huh. And then she kicked you out?”

  “As soon as I get off the phone, I’m heading to the cottage for a clean shirt and my shaving kit.”

  “Already? Remember, a lion lives under the lioness’ paw.” Grandfather quoted the traditional proverb that guided cougar mateships.

  Ryan drew a deep breath. “This is your last bulletin about the state of my marriage, sir. I get the couch. I’m going to suggest to Claudia that we ‘renew’ our vows in front of our families. Can you be here next weekend?”

  “Hell, yeah. Going to have a bash at the inn?” Charles asked slyly.

  “Bride’s choice. Queen’s rules. You’ll tell Mom and Dad?”

  “Might be better coming from you. Seeing as we’re keeping the truth a secret.”

  “Right. That’ll be a fun phone call. Not. But I’ll call them tonight. Goodnight, Grandfather.”

  What with stopping to shower and change his bandage, as well as call his mom and brother, it was closer to two hours than thirty minutes when he knocked on Claudia’s front door. He would need a key, but right now she needed to feel safe. Not that this cottage was any kind of fortress.

  The thick slabs of oak that made up the door and the old-fashioned iron bolts that supplemented the lock were secure enough. But the French door and the windows at the back would yield to a rock or crowbar. Tonight, however, was not the time for a lecture on home security.

  Besides, even in his present enfeebled condition, he could deal with any intruder who threatened his family. More to the point, this was West Haven, not some crime-infested urban slum.

  His mate looked frazzled when she opened the door. Her face was drawn, and a tiny frown disturbed her forehead.

  “Hey,” he said. “What’s up?”

  “You took a long time.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I had to call my parents and tell them the good news.”

  “What good news?” Claudia locked the door and threw both bolts.

  “That I am a married man with a child.”

  “Oh. Did they think that was good news?” she asked anxiously.

  He set down his duffel and eased into the armchair. His leg was aching. “Good and bad,” he admitted.

  “Bad because I’m a sorceress?”

  “Bad because I’m the son of a tomcat who knocked up a nice girl from West Haven and walked out on his marriage. Good because I’m married to a nice girl from West Haven and have a kid.”

  “You didn’t tell them the truth?”

  He looked at her until he had her full attention. “No one, I repeat, no one is to know. Robin knows the truth about this marriage, and so do Sully and my grandfather. And us. That’s it. No one else. Otherwise it’s not a secret. So, yeah, I had to let my mom think I’m a low-down dirty polecat.”

  “Oh.”

  “What about your folks?” he asked

  “I usually speak to my mother in the mornings. But she and Dad went to see my sister and her family in Seattle. They won’t be back until Sunday afternoon.” She sighed and plopped down on the shabby couch. “They’re going to think it’s weird when I’ve told them and told them that there was no possibility of marriage to Jimmy’s father.”

  Figured. He thought. “We’ll have to stage a big reconciliation that will convince anyone who is interested.”

  “This is one small island, Ryan. Everyone will be interested.”

  He didn’t like the despair in her voice. Or the fatigue. “Do you usually work after Jimmy is in bed?”

  She nodded. “It’s the best time – the only time really.”

  “You think about quitting your day job,” he said. “I’ll be setting up a trust fund for you and Jimmy that will be more than enough for you to live on while you establish your business.”

  “A trust fund?”

  “Giving a grown woman an allowance is so nineteenth century. I want you to be comfortable and independent.”

  “I just need child support,” she insisted.

  “You’ll get that too. With all my worldly goods I thee endow.”

  “But we’re not really married,” she whispered, scrubbing her hands down her jeans.

  Did she know how sexy that gesture was? Probably not. He sniffed surreptitiously. She was worried, not aroused. “Sure we are,” he said patiently. “That certificate is perfectly real and perfectly legal. But I take your point. I bet you had some idea of being courted and having engagement parties and showers followed by a walk down the aisle in a fancy gown?”

  “Not in years.”

  His heart cramped at her sorrowful tone. Not that a big wedding ought to be the ultimate dream for any woman, but because he could tell that abandoning that particular fantasy symbolized all the restrictions that had come with being a single mother. He could ease that burden, even if he could not give her back the carefree years she had lost.

  “We need a plan,” he told her, “To convince people that you have taken me back.”

  “What sort of a plan?”

  “Presumably, if I had abandoned you, you would need to be reassured that I wasn’t going to leave you high and dry a second time. So lots of nice dinner dates, and lots of family outings, some new jewelry to go with those rings, and a ceremony to renew our vows. Think that would persuade your parents?”

  “Dates?”

  “You know, dinner and walks on the beach – well, maybe not at this time of the year. But I’ll think of something suitably romantic. I told my grandfather we would arrange our vow renewal for next weekend.”

  “Without consulting me?” Her voice was an outraged squeak.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Claudia~

  “I thought sooner rather than later,” Ryan replied
. “But it’s entirely up to you. Bride’s choice. We can go big and splashy at the Tidewater Inn, or we can do small and intimate somewhere else.” Ryan was as casual as if he had not just blindsided her.

  “I’m not sleeping with you,” she shot back. “Just because we go through a wedding ceremony.”

  He smiled like a well-fed predator. “We do have an agreement. You promised me a cub. A second one.”

  Her heart stuttered under the blast of that lazy grin.

  “And let’s not overlook this buzz between us,” he continued in that same easy voice. “Of course you get to pick when we consummate our marriage. I promise. And you get lots of courtship first. While we are pretending to reconcile, we really will be getting acquainted and becoming friends.”

  “Friends?” Dominic had not wanted her friendship. He had wanted her body and her powers. But not her. Not really. At least Ryan was upfront about wanting a child.

  “Sure. Marriage works best when the couple are friends as well as lovers.” He staggered to his feet. “When do you usually go to bed?”

  “Now. Jimmy gets up at the same time every morning, even on weekends. I’ll get you some sheets.”

  Ryan followed her, swaying a little even with his cane. Abruptly she realized his trip to the house and back had worn him out. He had claimed to be dying. Maybe he was.

  “You better let my mother examine your leg,” she said.

  He laughed hollowly. “Given my role as the seducer of her baby girl, I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t make it swell up and turn as black as she believes my heart is.”

  “My mother is a true healer,” she retorted stiffly.

  “I’m sure she would behave like a professional. I only meant that Dr. Peterson would probably prefer if I consulted another doctor. It’s asking a lot for any woman to accept a son-in-law she has reason to despise, and turn around and become his physician.”

  It dawned on her that for him the worst part of this forced match was having his cousin’s dishonorable behavior attributed to him. And he didn’t even know the worst of it. Oh, well, chances were she would take that secret to her grave.

  “Tell me something.” She handed him a couple of sheets and turned back to look for a blanket.

  “Anything.” He unbalanced, and had to brace himself with the cane. His face stiffened, but he cocked his head attentively.

  “Is ‘tomcat’ an insult among cougars?”

  “Sure is. It suggests uncivilized, immoral, promiscuous behavior. We’re lions.” His voice firmed. “Cats, but not tomcats.”

  “Okay. I’ll remember that.”

  “And I will refrain from calling you or any other sorcerer a witch or warlock.”

  “Deal.” She smiled. “Let’s get that couch set up.”

  “Thank you. May I check on the boy first?”

  She liked that he asked. “If you want. But once he’s down, he’s good until dawn.”

  She must have said something funny because his face split in a genuine grin. He went crablike down the hall to the tiny room that was Jimmy’s. She looked in the linen closet again and realized she had no spare pillows. She would have to give him one off her bed.

  Not that she wanted to. What she wanted was to grab him and have some hot and sweaty sex. It had been so long and he was so tempting. She couldn’t remember feeling like this before. Not even with Dominic. Ryan was attractive, and he seemed nice, but this intense and instant bond had to be the result of Robin’s love spell.

  She couldn’t, shouldn’t trust this sexual excitement. She had better remember her track record for attracting users. Ryan’s lethal smile might make her feel like the randiest, loveliest, most desirable female in the hemisphere, but she couldn’t trust him. She needed to figure out what he really wanted.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Ryan~

  Now how was he supposed to sleep on a pillow that smelled like Claudia? He was rampant. Restless. He wanted to howl at the moon, and get her spread-eagled beneath him. But even if he hadn’t promised she could set the pace, it was too soon. He just hadn’t expected that he would desire his make-believe wife so fast and so hard.

  He punched the pillow trying to get comfortable. His blow released another cloud of her fragrance. His erection tried to climb out of his shorts. Great. He needed his sleep, but sleep would be a long time coming. He folded his arms behind his head and began to plan his courtship.

  During the summer, most evenings you could take a dinner cruise around the islands. But with the winter gales already starting, that was probably not going to happen. The best restaurant on the island was attached to the Tidewater Inn. He could definitely take Claudia there. If they could find a sitter for Jimmy.

  After the fast one she had pulled on his family, it went against the grain to give Robin Fairchild his business. Except, there was fatherless Jimmy and abandoned Claudia, so perhaps Robin had some justification. He certainly had his work cut out to get Claudia’s parents to accept him as a fond father and proud husband after the way he was supposed to have behaved.

  He hoped he never figured out which of his cousins had forsaken Claudia and her son. He could expect Claudia’s family’s anger to match his own. It was a skanky way for any guy to behave, let alone a mountain lion. Not to mention that Claudia was one hot little mama. How could any lion walk away from her? Of course her seducer had already been married, so he should have made the effort– before he misled her.

  Jimmy was the key to winning over the Petersons. Fortunately, it would be no hardship to spend time with the kid. He was a dear little rascal. Smart as a whip and twice as cunning. If Ryan didn’t watch out, that cub was going to run rings around him and play him off against Claudia in the bargain. While walking on his hands and giggling.

  Could they take off to Vancouver for the weekend? Lots of pretty spots in Vancouver. Jimmy would enjoy the aquarium. Claudia would enjoy the shops and the fine dining. And if they took a boat all the way, they would have lots of time to talk. Of course, if they were to stage a wedding by next weekend, there would be no trips anywhere.

  He had to figure out a way to make this unromantic charade into a romantic interlude. Telling a woman that you wanted to have sex with her so you could get her pregnant was not romantic. Even a dumb Marine like him knew that. On the other hand, he couldn’t have gone into this relationship with any kind of dishonesty between them. Not after the way she had been treated by a Rutherford.

  Between one thought and the next, he fell asleep. He woke because the cub was using his stomach as a trampoline.

  He hoisted the boy into the air. Jimmy greeted this with a chortle and a gleeful yell. “You gots hair under your arms,” he cried.

  “I do,” Ryan replied. “Men do.”

  “When I grows up, I don’t want hair there,” objected Jimmy.

  This was unanswerable. “Hmm.”

  Claudia came into the room. “Did he wake you up?” she asked apologetically. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Her hair was freshly washed and tucked behind her ears.

  “Doesn’t matter.” But his calm answer didn’t make her look less anxious. How many mornings had this boy woken her? Yet here she was worrying that Ryan had been disturbed once. Too danged sweet for her own good.

  “I told you to let Daddy sleep,” she said softly.

  Ah. That was it. Having given an order, she was now faced with a mutiny it did not suit her to put down. Ryan agreed. It was too damned early for disciplining cubs. Nevertheless he returned Jimmy to the ground. “You disobeyed Mommy.”

  “But I needed you,” protested the cub. His lower lip protruded.

  “Not enough to disobey Mommy.” Ryan met Claudia’s startled eyes. “How do you plan to deal with this naughty fellow?”

  “He has to sit in the naughty spot for three minutes.”

  Ryan figured that area was probably worn thin. “Where is it?” he asked Jimmy.

  Jimmy pouted harder. He pointed to a small green chair just outside the kitchen.
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  “Three minutes, son.” Ryan slipped his watch on. “Let’s go.” He swung out of bed.

  Claudia backed away. “I have to make breakfast,” she blurted, beating a retreat.

  Ryan glanced down at his naked chest and the tented shorts that were his sole concession to modesty. No wonder he had embarrassed Claudia.

  “You gots hair on your chest too,” accused Jimmy.

  “Naughty spot.” Ryan said. He had a feeling that if he responded to Jimmy’s comment they would be all day getting through those three minutes. “You sit without speaking and spend your three minutes thinking about why we obey Mommy.”

  As it was, when Claudia came over and asked Jimmy if he was sorry, Ryan was by no means sure that any thinking had been accomplished by the squirmy child. But the boy threw his arms around his mother’s neck and told her he would be good and do as he was told.

  “Okay.” Claudia hugged him. “Breakfast time, buddy.”

  “Daddy gots no clothes on.”

  “Daddy will be dressed and at the table in five minutes,” Ryan promised. He grabbed his duffel and headed for the shower.

  It took six, because his leg had to be babied this early in the day. It had stiffened up overnight. His eggs and toast were cooling on his plate next to a mug of black coffee. Claudia and Jimmy were already eating.

  “Thank you,” he said as he sat down. “It’s nice to have breakfast waiting for me.”

  She nodded. Jimmy waved a greeting with his spoon. Ryan pretended not to see. It was still too danged early in the day to have to be bringing up a shifter cub. Claudia also looked the other way.

  “What are your plans for today?” he asked her.

  “Jimmy and I usually go grocery shopping first thing. Then we go down to the harbor or to visit Grammy and Grandpa in the afternoon.”

  Jimmy cheered and shouted something that could have been “Grammy.”

  Claudia sighed. “Remember Grammy and Grandpa are visiting Aunt Madeline. They won’t be back until Sunday afternoon.”

  Jimmy spluttered.

  “Easy champ,” Ryan cautioned. “Swallow before you speak. Do you like grocery shopping?” he asked Claudia.