Page 33 of Daddy Wolf's Secret Baby

“Most definitely a lot sassier and assertive than she was. I like it.”

Sex with her felt different than he ever had with any other woman. It was more than just a physical connection. There had been something else that he couldn’t identify.

“Maybe it’s just because she’s the mother of my kid,” he reasoned.

He hopped into the shower, and as the water cascaded over his body, he thought about her hands exploring him. Josiah felt himself becoming aroused for the third time.

“I’ve got to stop this. I’m going to end up with a perpetual hard-on.”

Forcing himself to think about anything else but her, he washed the remnants of their lovemaking off and got out of the shower. He noticed that he could still smell her scent. No amount of scrubbing could make that go away.

Josiah was well aware that when a shifter was unable to shake another’s scent, it usually meant that person was their fated mate.

“It’s way too soon to go down that road. She’s a pretty incredible woman and I have a lot of respect for her and obviously like her a lot, but I wouldn’t call it love. I would never go through the mating ceremony unless it was with someone I loved and wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

He laughed at himself and said, “Not only am I talking to myself again, but I’m starting to sound like a Hallmark movie. I might need to go to a bar, drink too much, and get into a fight.”

Josiah did have to admit, though, that he had thought of Zahra sometimes over the last eleven years and always wondered “what if.”

His parents came homethat weekend.

“Can Jace stay with me this weekend? Mom and Dad are coming back and they want a chance to get to know him.”

“Of course,” she said. “I’ll have him pack some clothes. Do you want ourUnocards or will you buy your own?”

“I guess I should probably have a deck at my place, too, since that’s his game of choice. He’s a little card shark with that game.”

They talked about what else Josiah should pick up for Jace to keep at his place since he would likely be spending a lot more time at Josiah’s house. She gave him a list of his favorite foods and food that he absolutely detested.

Josiah had a new appreciation of what it meant to raise him on her own all these years. It was a lot to keep track of.

Nevaeh and Logan were over the moon when they first saw Jace. Josiah was afraid that their exuberance might be too overwhelming, but Jace held his own.

“Mom told me about you guys and showed me pictures. She said that you guys were really nice. Mom told me that you would love the fact that I like to read so much because you used to be a librarian at the town library and that Grandpa would probably like to take me fishing.” He looked at Logan. “Mom said there isn’t a car, truck, tractor, or other vehicle ever invented that you couldn’t fix with your eyes closed and one hand tied behind your back.”

They both smiled at their grandson and while Josiah was certain they hadn’t completely forgiven Zahra for not telling them about Jace, the boy had gotten them a lot closer to it.

The weekend flew by in a flash. Friday night, they all went out for pizza and to see a movie. Saturday, they went to the NewMexico Museum of Natural History and Science in Albuquerque. Sunday, they went bowling and had a cookout in his backyard.

Each night, Jace and Josiah stuck to his nighttime ritual of reading before bed. The boy fell asleep as soon as the lights were out.

Sunday night, after they finished reading, Josiah asked, “Did you have fun this weekend?”

“Yes. It was super busy and I ate a lot of ice cream.” Jace fixed Josiah with a questioning look. “Are they always going to be so…so…”

“Overwhelming?”

Jace nodded.

“Nah. They’re just super surprised and excited to know you. Once they get used to the idea that they are grandparents, they’ll calm down.”

“They’re mad at Mom, aren’t they?”

“They are a little upset, just like I was. Eventually, they’ll realize that your mother had a good reason to leave Angel’s Creek without telling us about you.”

“What would you have done if she had stayed and told you?”

“Honestly, I can’t say. I was very young and not the brightest, then. But it doesn’t matter because here we are now.”

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