Aiden's Mate Read online

  “Maybe the bear didn’t see Beau.”

  “Oh, he did.”

  Aiden needed to stop this conversation before he revealed too much. “Do you want me to call for help?” He braced himself to lose touch with the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen.

  “Please don’t.” Her face flushed when he looked at her questioningly. “I came up here to have some alone time. You know. Sometimes I just don’t want to be around a lot of people.”

  Maybe Emma was a figment of his imagination. In Aiden’s experience, girls who looked like Emma didn’t want to spend their time alone in the mountain forest.

  Either way, she was trouble.

  Chapter Four

  As Emma watched, Aiden’s face broke out into a broad smile. Maybe he was a Ted Bundy hiding out here in the woods pretending to be the owner’s son. It was a good ruse. How had he even found her up here?

  Anyway, she thought wryly, if she had to be killed by a serial killer, at least he looked like Steven McQueen from the Vampire Diaries – one of her recent binge weaknesses. “Why are you smiling?” She asked.

  “Nothing.” He shook his head. “You just sound like me.”

  “Hmm.” They resumed their slow trip down the mountainside. By the time they reached the trail, there was a light covering of snow on the ground.

  “I didn’t see snow in the forecast,” she commented.

  “Yeah. You have to watch the local weathergirl. The only thing she consistently gets right is snow. Everything else is hit and miss.”

  She chuckled. “Weather is a risky business. Unpredictable.”

  “And what is your business?”

  “I teach predictable college students about predictable animals.”

  “I hope you’re being facetious.”

  She shrugged. “Animals do what they need to do to survive, and college students… well…”

  “When I was a college student, way back when, I was very predictable. I wanted to do the least amount of work to get my degree.”

  “Just for the record, you said it, not me.”

  “You don’t look like a college professor.”

  She grinned. “And what does a college professor look like?”

  “Stodgy.”

  “Ha. I’m sorry to break your stereotyped image.”

  “I’m not. If you’d been my professor, I would have shown up for every class and probably hung out at your office with any excuse I could think of. Might have actually learned something. Maybe not.”

  “You’re funny.” She hopped to keep her foot off the ground for a few minutes.

  “Maybe. Sometimes.”

  She laughed, but it turned into a groan as she set her foot down.

  “You know…” he began. “I could carry you now that we’re on level ground.”

  She darted a dubious glance at him. “You’d have to promise to put me down if I got heavy.”

  “Scout’s honor.” He swept her up into his arms before she had time to reconsider. Her arms went around his neck and they were eye to eye.

  “Oh. Um.” She gazed into his deep blue eyes, and her heart rate skipped up a notch. His arms felt strong around her.

  Her eyes still lost in his, she realized two things other than how hot he was. One, they were moving so very much quicker than before. And two, the snow was coming down faster.

  She looked over his shoulder, and saw that the path was covered with a layer of snow broken only by their footprints.

  She lay her chin on his shoulder and enjoyed the moment of pain-free movement and the feel of his strong arms around her. He smelled good, like wood smoke and fresh lumber.

  “Am I too heavy?” She asked against his jacket.

  “Are you kidding? You’re lighter than a two-by-four.”

  She scoffed. “I’m not sure what that is, but I think you’re being kind.”

  He turned his head to look at her. “Where did you say you’re from?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Which city?”

  She sighed. “Pittsburgh.”

  “What drew you to wildlife biology?”

  “I’m not sure.” She never had been sure. She’d begged her parents to take her to the zoo, all the time. And neither of them cared about the zoo.

  She finally found a friend her age – a boy – when she was twelve who also liked the zoo. Their parents would drop them off on a Saturday and come back hours later to pick them up. Emma had been in heaven.

  Unfortunately, her friend had burned out after a few months, and Emma was back to begging her parents. When she was sixteen, she took a job feeding fish. Fish weren’t really her thing, but it allowed her time to walk around the zoo, to watch the bears and the wolves – two of her favorites.

  “You like the outdoors?” He asked, his breath against her ear.

  “Sometimes.” She shivered and shrugged against him. “Sometimes I like to just sit at my desk and read research or write research of my own.”

  “You sound complicated.” His voice was soft now.

  She shifted, and managed to press her body more firmly against him.

  He held her more tightly. Her lips were next to his neck now. If he turned his head just a little… he could kiss her…

  She shook off the thought. It must be the snowfall.

  She’d heard that the first snowfall in the mountains was magical.

  Chapter Five

  Aiden never got involved with tourists. Not anymore. The last time that happened, he’d ended up with an ex and child he was never allowed to see.

  He kept himself otherwise occupied and away from women. Especially women of the tourist variety.

  This girl, Emma, seemed different. Perhaps he had been too long away from females. She smelled so feminine he could feel it all the way to his bones.

  As they walked quietly down the trail in the snow, he had a vision – it was just a flash, but very vivid. Instead of carrying her along a snowy path, he was carrying her across the threshold of his cabin. Instead of her jeans and sweatshirt, she was wearing a flowing white gown. They were smiling at each other.

  He shook his head. The first big snowfall was known to play tricks on a person’s mind. Especially in the high elevation. But… Aiden had never had this happen before.

  She had her eyes closed and her cheek against his shoulder. He wanted to touch her skin. To see if it was as smooth as it looked.

  Perhaps she’d fallen asleep. She wasn’t too heavy. Just… distracting. If he gauged it correctly, they had about another mile to go. He needed to have her looked at by the doc.

  “Thank you,” she murmured against his neck.

  Little chills shot through his body, and he realized the problem. He wanted her. In his bed. Naked. It was such a primal need, it frightened him just a little. He wasn’t an animal. Well… unless he shifted into a bear and, even then, he still had control. His human side was definitely controlled and responsible; not one to have to have primal needs.

  “I can walk a little, if you’d like a rest.”

  He stood still and slowly lowered her. She slid along his body until she was standing pressed against him. He forgot that they were supposed to be walking.

  They stood there, the snow falling all around them, covering his footprints behind them. She shivered and jarred him out of his trance.

  She took one step before she stumbled.

  Groaning, he picked her up again and cradled her against him. “I need to get you to a doctor.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be fine. I just need to stay off of it.”

  “The first thing is to get you inside and warmed up.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  It did sound wonderful. But not in the way she was thinking. He had another flash of them together in his bed.

  Perhaps he needed to see the doc.

  The good thing about Doc Hart was he was a shifter himself, and he could treat their special needs, whether human or animal.

  He would at least ask if
it was normal to have these vision flashes.

  “The lodge is just up ahead.”

  “I’m not staying at the lodge.” She murmured against him.

  “Where then? Did you drive in?”

  “I’m in a cabin.”

  “Which one?” Some were easier to get to than others. Usually couples chose the secluded cabins. He couldn’t remember a single female ever renting one.

  “I have no idea.”

  “Then I’ll take you to the lodge, and we’ll find out.” The lodge was booked for the weekend.

  Instead of answering, she shivered against him. He needed to get her inside and have Doc check her out.

  By the time Aiden was down the mountain on the trail toward the inn, the ground was covered with snow. Both he and Emma were soaked through from the snow, but with stress from her injury, she was more susceptible to the falling temperatures. Her teeth were chattering. He’d taken to asking her questions every few minutes to make sure she hadn’t gone into hypothermia. He’d learned that she was twenty-five years old, working on her dissertation, and had one brother. He also learned that she liked hiking and swimming.

  His cabin was about fifteen minutes closer than the lodge.

  Chapter Six

  Emma woke in a haze of disorientation. Warmth. She blinked and saw that she lay in front of a blazing fireplace. There was a blanket covering her. And she was snuggled against… someone. Someone with strong arms holding her with her back against his chest. And his legs were tangled with hers.

  She was at the Silver Creek Lodge. And had gone hiking. But when she set out hiking that morning, she hadn’t expected to encounter a snow storm. It had been pleasantly cool and sunny.

  She hadn’t bothered to turn on the television to check the weather, and her phone service was spotty.

  Then she remembered the snow storm and being carried down the trail by… a man...

  Flashes of memory followed. A bear. A fall. Pain in her ankle.

  But where was she now? She tried to move, but the man’s arms held her. It was then that she realized she was wearing nothing more than a shirt. Her legs were bare.

  What had happened?

  She tried to pull away.

  “Hey.” He said soothingly. “It’s me, Aiden. You’re okay now.”

  Aiden. Yes. “Where am I?”

  “You’re safe. We’re in my cabin.”

  “Can I sit up now?”

  “Oh. Sorry.” He loosened his arms and helped her sit up. “Of course.”

  She ran a hand down a green t-shirt and what looked to be boxer shorts. “My clothes…”

  “You were soaked. From the snow. I had to get you out of your wet clothes.”

  “Oh.” She strained to remember. She’d been cold coming down the trail, and he’d carried her.

  She lifted her right foot and examined her ankle, puffy with fluid.

  “My cabin was closer than the lodge, and I didn’t know which cabin you were in.”

  “There was a bear.” She said.

  He didn’t respond.

  “I think you may have saved my life.”

  “I didn’t do anything.”

  “Nonsense. Either I would have been eaten by a bear or died from hypothermia. There was no way I would have gotten back without you.”

  “You’re safe now. I’ve called the doctor, and he’s on his way.”

  “I don’t think I need a doctor.”

  “I want to be safe.”

  “You have a doctor that makes house calls?”

  “He lives nearby and is on call for the lodge.”

  She nodded.

  He sat up next to her and peered at her face. “You look much better.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Would you like some hot soup?”

  “Sure.”

  As Aiden worked in the kitchen, Emma stared into the blazing fire and snuggled beneath the blanket. It was dark outside now, and the land was quiet beneath the blanket of snow.

  Emma Miller was not a one-night-stand kind of girl. In fact, she’d only had two boyfriends – one in high school and one as an undergrad. Her best friend Henry had never been a boyfriend and never would be. Henry tended to like different men than Emma did, but men nonetheless.

  This guy, Aiden, seemed like a nice guy, if he wasn’t a serial killer. She shook her head. Maybe she watched too much television.

  He brought her a tray with a bowl of tomato soup on it. “You aren’t eating?”

  “I hadn’t planned on it.”

  “I’d feel better if you ate, too.”

  He shrugged and went to get another bowl of soup. He sat down next to her and ate a spoonful.

  “Trade with me.” She slid the tray toward him.

  “Why?”

  “Just in case you’re poisoning me.”

  He chuckled. “Okay.” He switched their bowls and shared the tray with her. As they ate their soup in silence, he wore an amused expression. Emma scraped the bottom of her bowl. This was the best tomato soup she’d ever tasted. As he gathered up their bowls, he looked toward the window. “Doc is here.”

  She then heard a vehicle making its way toward the cabin.

  Aiden opened the door. “Doctor Hart. Thank you for coming out in this weather.”

  Doctor Hart shook off the snow before coming inside. “I had to bring the snowmobile. We’re having a blizzard out there.” Doctor Hart was a young man with a pleasant demeanor who appeared to be in his thirties. Emma smiled when she saw that he carried a little black bag.

  An attractive woman followed him inside, carrying two shopping bags.

  “Skylar.” Aiden rushed forward, took the bags, and wrapped his arms around her.

  The bottom sank out of Emma’s stomach. Of course, this super hunky guy she was crushing on would have a girlfriend; he was too handsome not to. Emma recognized the girl from when she had checked in at the lodge. She’d been friendly as she’d filled Emma in on everything they had to offer at the lodge – the restaurant, horseback rides, snowmobile rides, and evening marshmallow roasts.

  “Emma.” Aiden dragged the girl behind him. “This is my sister, Skylar.”

  “Sister.” Emma’s thoughts readjusted and settled. Sister – not girlfriend.

  “It’s good to see you again.” Skylar held out her hand. “We’re having a blizzard out there.”

  Emma shook her hand as the doctor came around and knelt in front of her. “I heard you had quite a fall off a boulder.”

  “I did. There was a bear.”

  “A bear, huh?” Doc Hart glanced at Aiden. “Let me take a look at your eyes.”

  He looked at one eye, then the other. “Do you remember hitting your head?”

  “No. I don’t think so. Why? Is something wrong?”

  Doc Hart chuckled. “No. No. I just like to cover all the possibilities.”

  Aiden picked up the soup tray and carried it to the kitchen. Skylar followed, leaving Emma alone with the doctor.

  “So you twisted your ankle. Can I take a look?”

  “Sure.” Emma said, pulling the blanket up to show him her ankle.

  He gently pressed on the swollen area. It was already showing signs of red streaks.

  “You’re gonna need to stay off of it for a few days.”

  “A few days.”

  “You could injure it further if you don’t let it heal. Do you mind if I put a bandage on it?”

  She shook her head. “Is it that bad?”

  “Nothing is broken, but wrapping it and staying off of it will help keep the swelling down. If you don’t take care of it now, it could make the ankle weak in the future.”

  He wrapped the bandage around the ball of her foot, then circled around the arch of her foot, around the bottom of her toes, then circled it around her ankle and secured it with a clip. “I’m gonna leave a few of these here for Aiden to change out.”

  “I have a cabin,” she said.

  “We could take you back to the lodge, but I�
�ve got to be honest with you. Your wisest option is to stay here with Aiden. He can keep you off your feet. With this storm out there, everyone else is taxed with taking care of the stranded guests. You’d end up walking too much on it just to take care of yourself.”

  Emma sighed. “I hate imposing.”

  Doc Hart glanced over at Aiden who was in a conversation with his sister. He patted her knee. “I don’t think you need to worry about that. Aiden’s a good guy. You’re safe here with him.” He took a business card out of his bag and handed it to her. “Here’s my cell phone number. If you need anything while you’re staying here, you call me. That’s my snowmobile and I’m not afraid to get out in the weather.” He winked. “It’s an excuse for my wife to let me go out and ride my snowmobile.”

  Emma laughed.

  “Skylar brought the key to your cabin. It’s totally up to you, but if you want her to, I’ll drive her over to your cabin to get your things.”

  Emma thought about her computer sitting on the little desk overlooking the window. She’d set up her work area, but she hadn’t unpacked her clothes. She’d only stayed in the cabin one night, then she’d gotten up early to go hiking. She’d planned to be back early. She definitely needed her cell phone charger if she was going to stay here. “You really think I need I need to stay here?”

  “It’s my doctor’s recommendation.”

  “I think we should ask Aiden first.”

  “Fair enough.” He turned. “Aiden.”

  Aiden hurried over and sat on the sofa. “How does it look?”

  “It’s a bad sprain. I wrapped it up, but it’ll need to be changed now and then. Also, she needs to stay off of it and to keep her feet up.”

  He looked at Emma. “You’ll stay here.”

  Chapter Seven

  Aiden walked the doc and his sister to the door. Doc had been a couple of years ahead of him in high school, so he’d always be Cooper Hart to him. But, since he was a doctor now, Aiden and others around the lodge had taken to referring to him as Doc.

  Aiden grabbed his coat hanging on a hook by the door and shrugged into it. “Can I ask you about something Doc?” They stepped outside onto the porch.