ChoosingHisChristmasMiracle (3 page)

After a couple seconds, Raul’s firm lips curved up at the corners. “Well, aren’t you just a cute little angel,” he crooned, wiggling a finger at her.

Lily squealed and latched onto Raul’s finger with one chubby fist.

“Wow,” Sean murmured. “I’ve never seen her take to someone so fast.”

“And I’ve never seen Raul with a kid,” Jared stated dryly. “Fucking surreal.”

Raul glared at his friend—at least, Sean assumed they were friends. After pulling on his coat, Sean reached out and took Lily back, tucking her close. “The blanket is in the bedroom where we changed her, I think,” he said, finally answering the man’s earlier question.

Raul nodded and headed that way. Sean took a step after him, then stopped himself. There was no need to follow the man, but the urge to do just that sure was strong. He didn’t want to let the redheaded human out of his sight. It had taken too damn long to find him.

Which brought him back to the problem of his rash actions, just what would Declan do?

To Sean’s surprise, Jared clapped a hand on his neck and squeezed. It wasn’t in a dominant way—okay, there was definitely an aspect of dominance to it, but it was also familiar and reassuring, too. It almost felt like the reassurance from a higher ranking wolf.

“Stop worrying so much,” Jared said. “You’ll give yourself an ulcer. Declan is a reasonable man.” The human’s grin appeared shockingly malicious. “Far more reasonable than
I’ll
be if you fuck with my best friend in any way.”

Well, that answered the question of whether or not Raul and Jared were friends. They were, and good ones from the sounds of it.

Sean jerked a nod, not completely surprised by the way his wolf easily bowed to this man’s show of dominance. He was a tracker, and not really a dominant one, which is why he’d ended up in so much hot water for defending his mate when Raul and his friends had gone to Idaho to help their pack-mate save a human Sean’s ex-alpha had been holding.

Between taking care of Lily and healing, Sean had been in no position to go anywhere, no matter how much he and his wolf had wanted to locate Raul.

“I’m not gonna fuck with Raul,” Sean stated. “He’s my mate. I just wanna care for him.”

“And the cub?” Carson asked, stepping close.

“That’s enough,” Raul snapped, returning to the room.

Jared shrugged, but dropped his hand. Even Carson didn’t press for information. Just what the fuck were the dynamics between all these guys? From the way Carson wrapped a proprietary arm around Jared, it was easy to see they were mates, but how did Raul fit into it? Why would a wolf enforcer and his mate take orders from an unbound human?

Gods, his head was starting to hurt. The strain of the last several months was catching up with Sean, and he fought the urge to return to his hotel room and hide until everything made sense.

“We’ll warm the SUV,” Carson stated. “Don’t be long.”

Raul nodded, indicating he’d heard. Sean’s disorientation grew. First Raul gave an order, which Carson followed, then Carson gave an order which Raul acknowledged.
What the fuck?

Sean allowed Raul to help him wrap the blanket around Lily and tuck her into his coat. Raul’s warm hand cupped Sean’s jaw, urging him to focus on him. “Hey, you doing okay there?”

“What?” he whispered.

“You’re looking a little lost, Sean,” Raul murmured. “Are you with me?”

“Your pack dynamics are confusing,” he blurted out, feeling his face heat.

Raul smirked, and wasn’t that a sexy look on the human. “Yeah, I guess I can see how you’d be confused, what with the way they barged in then with all the barbs exchanged. Carson really is the boss of us,” Raul explained, “being our pack’s head enforcer, but he’s pretty lenient where his mate is concerned as long as it’s just us around.” He shrugged. “As far as backing off when I asked, Carson knows you’ll have to explain everything to Declan once we get there, so he’ll get his answers then.”

“Ah, yeah, that should—that should be interesting.” He was so not looking forward to this.

“Relax. We’ll work this out,” Raul soothed.

Then, to Sean’s eternal shock, the human leaned forward and brushed a soft kiss to his lips. It happened so fast that Sean just stood there and didn’t react. Then his mate was turning and pulling on his own jacket.

“Let’s get this done,” Raul said, leading the way from the house.

Sean could do nothing but follow.

Chapter Three

What the fuck was that?

Raul had never kissed a man in his life, so why had he now? Was it the fucking mate-pull that he’d heard so much about? Could be. The poor shifter had just looked so lost, so confused, something in Raul had desperately wanted to soothe him.

The fact that he wanted to turn around and take the man right back into the house to do God knew what with certainly didn’t bear thinking about. God damn. Now that the man he’d been obsessing over for months was here, just what the hell was he supposed to do with him?

Raul knew Jared would be more than happy to give him all kinds of lewd advice, but that wasn’t really what he thought the skittish man following him out the door—a skittish man holding a baby—really needed.

A baby! Double damn! Not only was Sean here professing to be Raul’s mate, but he’d brought his niece with him. The idea of having kids had never even crossed Raul’s mind—well, maybe it had, in the deepest, darkest corner somewhere. Sean had essentially presented him with a ready-made family. Could Raul handle that? His life had just become extremely complicated.

“I guess I need to get Lily’s car seat.”

Sean’s softly mused words jerked Raul back to the present. He gave himself a mental slap upside the head as he glanced between Carson’s SUV and the small subcompact parked off to the side.

“Yeah,” Raul said. “It’d be better if you ride in with us rather than on your own.”

“Like a prisoner.”

Raul barely made out Sean’s muttered words. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed as he watched Sean try to detach the car seat from his car. Unable to watch the man struggle, Raul grabbed Sean’s forearm and gently urged him to straighten.

“That’s not what I meant,” Raul murmured. “You’re not a prisoner. You’re a welcome guest until Declan says otherwise, which I seriously doubt he’ll do.” He didn’t like the disbelief clearly etched across Sean’s expression. Raul heaved a sigh, but he couldn’t think of anything reassuring.

Instead, he turned the shifter toward the SUV. “Go on. Get Lily out of the cold. I’ll get this and be right there.”

For just a second, Raul felt certain Sean was going to refuse. Then his shoulders sagged and he nodded once. Raul watched Sean head to the running vehicle and shook his head. He hated how defeated Sean looked and prayed he could figure out how to give the wolf the reassurance he obviously seemed to need.

Raul made quick work of the car seat, then locked and closed up Sean’s small car. He carried the contraption to the SUV, where, with Sean’s soft instructions, he installed it on the short, middle bench seat.

He settled in the back and watched Sean carefully strap in a slightly fussy Lily. It pleased Raul, probably unreasonably so, that Sean joined him in the back. Besides, he thought, berating himself, it was probably just more comfortable for Sean to lean over the short middle seat to tend Lily than try to fit on the seat next to her. The car seat did take up most of the space on the shorter middle row.

Except, that wouldn’t explain the way Sean leaned back and put his arm along the back of the seat and started fiddling with the short hairs at the nape of Raul’s neck. It sent a shiver down his spine, which settled in his cock. His dick had been at half-mast ever since he’d recognized Sean. Even watching him change Lily and then Jared’s unexpected interruption hadn’t wilted him completely. Now all the blood flowed right back south.

Raul couldn’t bring himself to dislodge the man’s hand, liking the contact too much. He flashed a smile at Sean and found himself patting his leg. “Everything will be fine,” he muttered inanely. Hadn’t he already said that? The gentle fingers on his neck sent tingles across his spine that short-circuited his brain.

Damn, did he like this shifter’s touch.

Everything he’d heard Jared tell him about the mate-pull returned to him—the undeniable urges to touch and taste, the desire to please, to protect, and most of all, Raul desperately wanted to hold and pleasure this man.

Swallowing hard, Raul turned his head to look at Sean. He took in the way the man’s shaggy dirty-blond hair caressed his strong brow. Sean’s firm jaw had just a hint of scruff even though it was only around noon. His gaze focused on the man’s firm, thin lips.

Raul watched Sean’s lips curve into a smile, and the urge to taste them returned full force. His gaze shifted to the man’s blue eyes, so kind, so full of hope. The hand that had been playing at the back of his neck shifted to cup it instead and applied the gentlest of pressure.

Unwilling, or maybe unable, to fight any longer, Raul kept his gaze fixed on Sean as he closed the distance between them. The light press of Sean’s lips felt better than he’d imagined a man’s should. The quick peck when heading out the door didn’t compare when Sean slid his mouth from side to side, almost nuzzling Raul’s, sending a warm tingle through his body and causing his nipples to harden and his dick to throb.

Sean’s hand on his neck tightened, encouraging Raul to tilt his head. The shifter’s other hand came up and cupped Raul’s jaw. A thumb pressed into the corner of his mouth had Raul grunting in surprise.

That must have been what Sean wanted, for he growled hungrily and swept his tongue inside Raul’s mouth. Never having been a passive lover, Raul brought a hand up and grabbed Sean’s thick, blond hair in a firm grip. He countered the man’s tongue with his own, giving as good as he got.

Never had Raul experienced a more aggressive kiss as they fought for dominance. Sean fed Raul deep grunts and groans as they kissed, and Raul did the same to Sean. The only thing that kept Raul from climbing onto the other man’s lap was the seatbelt around his waist. He wanted friction on his aching cock so badly. Raul just knew a couple thrusts and he’d be able to come.

The bouncing of the truck on a rutted road pulled them apart. Raul’s breath came in ragged pants, and from the way Sean’s chest heaved, Raul knew the other man wasn’t in much better shape.

“Holy fucking hell,” he whispered. Raul just knew his own face mirrored the shocked look on Sean’s.

“Yeah,” Sean said around a groan. “I want to fuck you so bad. My cock is hard as steel.”

Raul’s asshole clenched at the other man’s words. He licked his lips, uncertainty flooding him. Could he give his ass up to this man? Just the thought sent a spear of fear and trepidation through him.

Evidently, Sean scented it, because his brows drew down in concern. “Hey, easy. It’s okay. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want.”

“I—I don’t know
what
I want,” Raul admitted, sitting back in his seat heavily.

Sometimes, the truth doesn’t set you free.

His head resting on the back of the seat, he turned it just enough to eye the other man. He watched Sean’s jaw clench and unclench. Unable to stand seeing him hurt, Raul reached over and rested his hand on his thigh. “We’ll figure it out,” he murmured, trying to sound encouraging.

The side door opened, revealing a leering Jared. “Well, first you’ll have to introduce your mate to Declan. Then you can figure out the dynamics of gay sex.” Jared’s focus moved to Sean. “If you need any instruction, just let me know.”

A spike of possessiveness stabbed Raul. “You will
not
touch him,” he snarled.

Jared threw his head back and laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he finally managed to get out. “I don’t want to touch him. I was just going to explain it—not show him.” Shaking his head, Jared stepped away, saying, “We’re here.”

As if Raul didn’t already know that, seeing as Carson had parked the SUV. Raul rolled his eyes and unbuckled his belt. “Whatever,” he grumbled. “Get the fuck out of our way.”

He’d barely made it out of the vehicle when the alpha’s voice rang across the snow-covered clearing. “Ah, perfect timing. I was about to call ye, gentlemen.”

“Always ready to help, Alpha,” Carson responded, his deep voice ever so respectful.

Raul climbed from the vehicle and gave a wave, then turned back and gave Sean an encouraging smile. At least the altercation with Jared had wilted his erection. There was no way he wanted to face Declan with a boner.

“Come on, Sean,” he urged. “Get Lily and we’ll get in out of the cold.”

Sean nodded. He turned and unbuckled the infant and cuddled her close to his chest. Raul lifted a hand, indicating Sean should precede him. Sean stepped past him, and Raul settled a hand on the small of his back. Raul figured the contact reassured himself as much as Sean. He looked toward the deck where Declan watched their approach with one black brow arched and an unreadable expression on his dark features.

“Why don’t ye introduce me to yer guest, Raul?”

It was phrased as a question, but Raul knew it wasn’t. “Alpha Declan, this is Sean Garcia. He’s from the Idaho pack and came here because…” He paused and licked his lips, uncertain of Declan’s reaction. Knowing there was no way around this one, Raul forced himself to continue. “Sean and I met when we rescued Vee from Sean’s old alpha. He’s my mate.”

“Is he now?” Declan murmured. The alpha’s gaze swept over Sean, his gaze fixing on the baby in his arms. “Come inside and we’ll discuss… everything.”

Raul placed his hand on Sean’s neck, giving it a squeeze as Sean stepped through the doorway. Raul followed quickly, stepping up next to him when Sean stopped. He rested his arm on the other man’s shoulder in a show of comfort. For some reason, it settled something in Raul, too.

Declan led the way to the study, then paused before the door and ushered the others inside. Raul knew the alpha didn’t miss seeing his arm around Sean’s shoulder, nor did he say anything about it.

Lark, Declan’s mate, called from somewhere in the house, his voice carrying along the halls. “Hey, stud! Is that the guys? Are they hungry for lunch?”