Goldie and Her Bears (18 page)

“Hey, I thought this was a mini-forced-pseudo-honeymoon, woman.” He shot her a pout and sighed. “And here I was looking forward to the pseudo-honeymoon sex too. Pseudo-vacation just sounds so exhausting. All the sightseeing, doing things, and so little time to have wild and kinky sex.”

That had her laughing and she shook her head, “Okay, okay. Mini-forced-pseudo-honeymoon. I like the way that sounds better as well. Sounds far more romantic and far sexier.” She squeezed his thigh and added, “As long as whoever our watchers will be and they aren’t in the same home as us, and they can’t see us, we will be golden.”

“I don’t know the arrangement yet, not even sure if they’ve chosen a spot yet. I think they are keeping it fluid in case something changes. But in a couple of hours, we’ll know for sure where we are going and just what we’re getting into. For now, let’s worry on trying not to forget something. With this trip, if we do forget something we’re out of luck. It’s not as if we can run to the local market or mall to pick it up. We can’t be seen once we’re tucked away.”

“All right, don’t worry. We will get everything we need. You pack your things, I will pack mine, and we will get ourselves moving.” Looking up at Ark, she asked again, “And you are certain Tor and Mahon will be all right left here to their own devices? We won’t come home to a kitchen meltdown or anything like that?”

“Well,” his expression stayed flat for a time before he grinned. “Nah, they’ll be fine. They can both cook rather well. While Mahon has issue with the barbecue, he can bake like nobody’s business. Torben can’t boil water to save his life, but he can make casseroles and barbecue like a dream. They will survive and since you won’t be there, I seriously doubt they’ll be worried about vegetables and such during the duration of this mess. Now the office,” he rolled his eyes. “It will likely survive a little better without me there. I’m usually the one who sends the temps packing. But really, if they weren't so incompetent I wouldn’t get so upset with them. Like really, who in their right mind tries to fax a cup of coffee? Not likely what she was doing but because she was a ditz, she fried it right out with her morning java.”

“Damn, sounds like you guys went through some real winners in your time with temps. Good thing you have me now, right?” she teased him. She had to tease because if not, she would cry and it wasn't a suitable option in her books. At all. “Well they will be able to handle the new recruits, I hope. Besides, in my opinion I have the best guy to go on this pseudo-honeymoon with right now?”

“I happen to think so,” he chuckled. “But I’m sure the others would have said the same thing had they been here. And honestly, I’m probably a little biased in my opinion. But all I can say is, I’m here, they’re not. Suckers.” He shot her a big grin as he pulled into the drive leading up to the house. Parking the truck, he got out and waved a hand to the cops. “The doors are open, go on in,” he told them.

She went in ahead of him and up to his room where her clothes were intermeshed with his. It was nice actually, he had given her space in his closet and drawers for her things, and she loved it. “Okay do you have a suitcase or something for us to pack all our things into?”

“Uh, we’ll take two. I know you womenfolk. You always say you can manage with one but we’ll end up with two anyway. So we’ll start with two and we’ll have lots of space for everything.” He slipped past her into the closet and pulled two cases off the shelf. “You can have the big one and any overflow you can toss into the smaller one with my stuff. Just make sure your bottles of goop and shit are in a bag so they don’t leak.”

Rolling her eyes, Goldie pulled out her clothes and began to pack. “What should I pack for?” she asked mid stride. “Hot, cold, snow, rain? This way I don’t have to pack a whole lot of nothing for no reason?”

“Pack for our weather, but take a few items for chillier nights. We won’t need winter jackets or anything like that, not like we’re going to the South Pole. But take a couple pairs of good socks, a sweater or two and some flannel pants in case the nights are cooler. Other than that,” he shrugged. “I’ll keep you warm if need be.”

“And I do so love how you keep me warm,” Goldie said softly. “All right. I got this. You go and do your thing and I will pack my things.” Turning away from him once more, she began packing everything she would need, sliding down the banister to the kitchen and grabbing Ziploc baggies for her shampoo, conditioner, body wash and moisturizer. When her case was packed, she pulled off a couple of pillows, one from Torben’s side, and one from Mahon’s side, and tossed them in the case as well. Zipping it up, she nodded. “All right, I’m ready.”

“Did you just steal the pillowcases?” he asked with a chuckle. He’d been sitting in a chair for the last half hour waiting on her to finish flitting around and packing, his head back. “You do realize they are going to be grumpy when they come home and find them gone right? Course they’ll likely just go and sleep in their rooms instead since we’ll not be here.”

“Nope, I took their pillows.” she confessed with a grin. “And they won’t be grumpy, they will know it was me. I like smelling my guys around me when I sleep, and since I have the real thing in you, I am settling for second best for them. So, I took their pillows.” Made sense to her.

“Guess it works,” he said, lifting his head up to look at her. “So, you’re done?” he asked. At her nod, he got up and moved to shut the other case and grab them both. “Then we should get moving. You have your vitamins and all that fun stuff?” he asked as they headed for the stairs.

“Yep, I have everything I should need for the next however long we will be gone.” Goldie looked at him and took a deep breath. “And you're sure I’m worth all this?” her worry and concern was clear in her voice as she whispered those words to him. “Worth this big fat mess I seem to have brought into your lives?”

He dropped everything, whirled, caught her, and had her back plastered to the door, with his body holding her there faster than she could suck in her next breath. “You are worth everything, Goldie. Don’t even think about running off on your own. That will just piss me off and babe—you really do not want to have a pissed off bear on your ass. I love you. Completely, fully and would walk through the pits of Hell for you naked without a drop of water. So enough. When you have doubts know, we love and adore you. And if that isn’t enough, just hug me, woman. You know, as well as I do, a hug fucking solves a lot.”

Goldie didn’t even speak. She nodded and hugged him. Wrapping both her arms and legs around him. Pressing her face against his neck, she whispered, “I love you, Ark. So much. I wasn’t going to leave you; I don’t think I ever could. I just, I was worried you would leave me,” she admitted.

“Never, love, you are my every breath and heartbeat. God woman, without you I’d never survive,” he whispered against her ear. “I could no more leave you than I could give up my bear. So get that thought out of your head too.”

“Fair enough.” She looked up at him and nodded. “I just hope Tor and Mahon are okay with the fact I really want you to marry me legally when the time comes and them in a civil ceremony. You don’t think they will be too upset, do you?” She loved them all, but her Arkadios was the one to hold her heart just a smidge tighter.

“I doubt they will be upset, but you can put the question to them when we get back. And we will be back, that’s a promise,” he smiled down at her. Pressing a kiss to her lips, he stepped back and held her as she regained her balance on her feet. “For now though, we really need to get moving.”

“Yes. Okay let’s get moving.” She took another breath and nodded. “We will use this for practice. Practice on being on our honeymoon.” It was something she was hopeful they would have for real one day.

“After you,” he said, opening the door. Grabbing the bags, he followed her out to the truck. After tossing everything in the back, Ark moved over to talk to one of their watchers. Nodding, he pulled out his phone and they talked for a little longer while he appeared to be typing in something. A few minutes later, he slid behind the wheel. “Got his number in case we end up separated since it’s going to be rush hour when we head through the city. We’d apparently normally avoid it but he wants to ensure that if we do have a tail, they’re just as stuck and maybe show themselves.”

“Smart move,” she said as she got into the car and buckled up once more. “Well let’s hope it will be that easy. Hopefully they will slip up and then the whole thing can be avoided?” She was dreaming and knew it, but a girl could hope, right?

“We can hope but unless we have all of them under wraps, it’s not going to happen. And I seriously doubt that even if we catch one, the others will just show up to be arrested. These guys have all gone off their rockers. No sane man shoots at anyone, especially with a child present, if all their faculties are still operating at full power.”

“True.” Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her temples. “Damn it I hate this. I hate this is all happening. Why in the hell did they have to go off the deep end like that? I mean seriously? Freaking idiots.” They were more than idiots. They were insane monsters.

“No one can say why someone snaps like this, Goldie. But you do know, it isn’t your fault right?” He looked at her as they left the property and headed the opposite way from their usual route. “You can't shoulder the blame for what thoughts go through another’s head or for their actions.”

“I know and I’m trying to keep that in mind but it’s hard. I keep seeing you hurt, and Lil J pulled into it. It’s just not good. I hate they have taken this from us. Taken the happiness we deserve and I hate to admit this, but I hope you or one of the boys find them and tear them limb from limb and bury their bodies in the woods. After all, a bear can’t be held accountable for killing someone, right?”

“Bears don’t tend to bury their prey, babe,” he said with a grin on his face. “And you have turned into one seriously blood thirsty female. Not that I mind but, quite frankly, you’re starting to scare me a little. Makes me wonder what you’ll do to one of us if we piss you off badly enough, which then has me cringing and ensuring my will is up to date.” He shot her a toothy grin. “Besides all that, if there’s a rogue bear on the loose the locals tend to get up in arms and go out hunting for it.”

“Don’t worry, I would never, ever do anything that would hurt you guys,” she admitted to him and sighed. “Well crap. I don’t want anyone hunting for you guys. Maybe take them several counties away so we can kill them?” Yes, she was bloodthirsty, but these men had shattered her illusions of safety and to her, that meant they needed to die.

“Well there is that, or we could just have them thrown in jail for the rest of their miserable lives. Given how they act in public, do you really think they’d survive long in prison without making friends with someone? And by friends, I do mean the closest of friends, bunkmates even.”

“I’m just worried something will happen and honestly I’m not so sure the judicial system will hold up,” she whispered. “That is my biggest fear. I know I shouldn’t have the worry but I do.”

“I know love, me too. But one way or another, they will face justice, either by your people or by mine. And trust me, my kind are a hell of a lot less forgiving about attempted murder of a mate. That shit gets people eviscerated right quick.”

“Good,” she muttered. “Then we will ensure they pay for the crimes they have committed one way or another.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “All right, I’m dropping it now because if not I will not be a pleasant person. We will get to where we are going and enjoy this, right?”

“We will, and when the cops catch Barrett and his cronies, then we’ll worry about the rest.” He squeezed her hand once more and looked at her. “You could slide into the center you know instead of sitting all the way over by the door.”

“Okay.” She had been waiting on him to tell her to move closer instead of taking it on her own. Releasing her belt, she slid close then did herself back up again. “There, now this is better. Would be even more so if you would put your arm around me.”

“So demanding,” he teased her. But he did put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in closer to him. “Why were you sitting all the way over there anyway, babe? Had to be lonely and boring there. Hell, if I could have moved the steering column over I’d have snuggled right up to you. So, why were you perched over there ignoring the very obvious option of snuggling up to me?”

“Because I was worried about you not being able to fully concentrate, or some such nonsense like that,” she muttered. “Honestly I don’t know why I was sitting all the way over there. I think I just was so godsmacked by what’s happening I didn’t think of it.”

“Well that’s fine I suppose,” he gave her a squeeze. “Next time just sidle on over and get cozy. I much prefer having you close than so far away from me. I love you, Goldie and, for a while at least, I’m going to be glued to your side, tight.”

“Good. I doubt I will be able to stay far from you, except when I have to pee. Sorry, still a little shy on some things.”

“Darling, that much I already know. We’ve been living together for only a little while, but that lesson was learned fast one day. Mainly with the bum rush from the bathroom, and then the door being slammed on my nose.”

“True.” She had the decency to at least blush at slamming the door in his face. “I just I can’t pee when someone is listening or watching. It’s why I have such a sucky time with drug tests, I’ve got a shy bladder.”

“You live with three guys who really are not all that shy. You should retrain your bladder, babe,” he said with a chuckle. Rubbing his hand over her arm, he gave her a squeeze. “Cause you know eventually you’re going to have to give in and pee in front of at least one of us.”

“Ha, that’s what you think,” she muttered. “I mean it. No way in hell will I pee in front of any of you. I will find a way away from you guys somehow.”