He had reason to rethink that after some time on the ice. Olivia and Talia had laughed as they walked out onto the frozen lake. They’d both wondered if the ice would break under them because of the cracking sound it made as they walked on it.
They’d liked watching him bore holes in the ice with his auger. Olivia hadn’t been able to take her eyes off him and Micah had been very grateful for his coveralls as they hid a multitude of sins, including his body’s immediate reaction to her gaze.
However, sitting on a short stool and watching the girls shiver as they sat around the holes waiting for the elusive fish to bite wasn’t much fun. Apparently today would not be a good day for ice fishing after all.
Gareth had mentioned the possibility of purchasing or building an ice-fishing house and Micah had dismissed that idea until now. Watching Olivia and Talia, seeing how little they were enjoying this particular experience, he wondered if being inside a cozy, warm ice house would have made a difference.
“Okay, that’s enough. I don’t think we’re going to have any luck with the fish today. Did you find skates to fit?” Talia jumped up, dropped her pole and ran for the sled Micah had used to cart their supplies out onto the lake.
“Yay! Skating.” Olivia and Micah followed more slowly. He took her gloved hand in his and even though he couldn’t feel her skin, he smiled.
“Can you ice skate, Olivia?”
“Me? I don’t know. I’ve never tried.” When she smiled up at him, he chuckled.
“This could be very interesting.”
Olivia wobbled as her feet hit the slick surface. If Micah’s arms hadn’t been around her, she knew she would have been on her rear. His rumbling laugh pulsed through her as he coached her on how to best navigate on the blades. Talia dashed across the ice as though born to it.
“The last foster family had a budding competition ice skater so they were at the rink a lot. Looks like Talia has some natural talent as well.”
Watching the child take the ripples in the lake ice in stride, Olivia didn’t even notice when Micah pulled away from her a bit. Suddenly she looked down to see her own feet gliding.
“It’s a little like cross-country skiing, isn’t it?” Turning her head to Micah, Olivia lost her balance and went down hard.
“Yes, but the ice isn’t as forgiving as the snow. Are you okay?”
Narrowing her eyes at his obvious difficulty in hiding a grin, she took his hand. “Fine. I think you need to hold my hand until I can get my ice legs as it were.”
His eyes softened as he squeezed her hand pulling her up. “Liv, I don’t want to ever let go of your hand. You are so important to me.”
Her heart tightening in her chest, Liv changed the subject to Talia. She didn’t want to hurt Micah, but she didn’t know how to deal with this emotion she felt. Seeming to understand, Micah let her lead the conversation away from the idea of forever.
Soon she felt like she had the skating thing down but she didn’t let go of Micah. Talia joined them to grab his hand while the three of them zipped across the edge of the lake. Even the occasional snowdrift or ice wrinkle didn’t take Liv down. She had so much fun that when Micah said it was time to head back to the lodge, Olivia considered joining Talia’s whine.
“Talia, tonight is a Gathering so Liv and I need to nap as much as you do.” He flicked where her nose would be on her face mask. “And you get to go hang out with the other cubs at Margie’s. I hear there will be pizza and movies and no bedtime for you guys.”
The child’s face brightened at the thought of going to see her new friends again. Olivia’s stomach roiled at the idea of meeting all those strangers in four-legged form. Can I do this and not embarrass myself-or worse, Micah?
The snowmobile ride home didn’t help her anxiety. As the trees whipped past, fear after fear piled up until she knew it wasn’t just the motor making her shake. Why am I such a coward? Olivia Marie, get it together right now. Micah will be with you. It will be okay. Nothing bad will happen.
With the lodge in sight, Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. Talia leaned against her so heavily that when she looked at the child’s face she was not surprised to see the six-year-old sound asleep.
“Apparently snowmobile rides are a lot like car rides.” The tenderness in Micah’s voice along with the gentleness he showed as he scooped the sleeping child up made tears well up in Olivia’s eyes. He makes such a good parent.
Once Talia was tucked in bed with Olivia assisting Micah in making sure the covers were snug around her, the two adults turned as one to head downstairs. Olivia led the way with her hand tugging Micah along behind her. She wanted to spoon into him and let the tiredness that the activity brought on-and the fear it enhanced-melt away.
“I’d like to make love to you, Liv, but let’s save our energy for tonight. It’s going to be your second change in as many days so you need to be ready for that.” Luckily Micah echoed her own thoughts about just going to sleep.
Olivia woke later with Micah still curled around her, his warmth comforting her. She stirred enough to roll over, studying him in his sleep. Strong jaw, high cheekbones, thick lashes and that lovely mouth. Thinking about his mouth could only lead to one thing. Olivia slid closer to kiss him.
Micah woke smiling. He brought one hand up to frame her face and kissed her again just as the bedroom door banged open, hitting the wall. A six-year-old bundle of excitement landed right in the middle of the bed, bouncing on Micah’s side.
“Hurry up, everyone’s going to be there before us and I can’t wait for pizza!” Talia bounded off the bed just as quickly as Olivia and Micah laughed together and got out of bed. Within thirty minutes they were piled in Micah’s truck for the ride to Pete and Margie’s. Talia talked nonstop from her booster seat strapped securely between the adults.
After they’d dropped her off and Micah had introduced Margie and Olivia, they headed back to the lodge. He explained that they’d change into wolf form at the lodge so they could safely leave their clothing in a warm and accessible place.
“There will be about thirty there tonight, Liv. Don’t be nervous, they’ll all want to sniff you, just to figure out who you are. Stay by me and you’ll be fine.”
Olivia kept her second thoughts firmly to herself. I want to do this, don’t I? I am a shifter, right? I should be looking forward to meeting others like me.
Still, as the turnoff to the lodge appeared, she felt her heartbeat increasing and her blood pumping faster. “Micah, I don’t know if I can do this. What if I want to stay a wolf?”
“Sweetheart, stop worrying so much. We’ll run with the others for a while then we’ll come back here together. Just stay with me, Liv, everything will be fine.”
Micah pulled the truck to a stop and she saw Gareth standing on the porch. He waved as they got out of the truck and moved toward them.
“Gareth, you’re coming tonight, right?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Olivia watched the way his gaze bounced off Micah’s face and to the ground between them.
“Gareth, you need to be there tonight.”
Olivia watched him carefully. Gareth sighed, shaking his head, then took a deep breath. “I’ll go.”
“Thank you.” Micah touched the other man’s shoulder briefly then turned back to Olivia. “Let’s go inside for a bit, we still have about twenty minutes.”
Nodding, she followed him inside. Gareth stood on the porch for a few minutes then came inside. She felt the tension surrounding Gareth but had no idea why he didn’t want to be with the other shifters.
Though they sat in fairly companionable silence, Olivia’s curiosity got the better of her.” Gareth? May I ask you a question?”
He glanced at her almost with a sideways sweep of his eyes then he did the same to Micah. “Micah?”